


The Art of Addition

by pixiealtaira



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Bit of Fluff, Multi, Not Beth Friendly, maybe a bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 110,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25793887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiealtaira/pseuds/pixiealtaira
Summary: originally posted on FFN. Spencer has to be the hero of the day...more than once on the Hotchner vacation.
Relationships: Beth Clemmons/Aaron Hotchner
Comments: 63
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

Spencer Reid was seething, he wasn’t sure it was in anger or disappointment or just….yeah. Had he been anywhere else, he’d have done something about it. His personal favorite activity when in this mood was throwing things. He had a shelf in his living room full of books he kept for that sole purpose, ones he deemed worthless for anything else. There weren’t many but there were a few. In the office he had hacky sacks and homemade balloon stress balls which could be tossed if need be. Unfortunately, he was neither somewhere where he could do anything about the rolling negative emotions he was feeling nor was he with company in which he could even think about it for long. Jack Hotchner was sitting beside him on the edge of a planter in what was supposed to be one of the happiest places on earth - Disneyland in California. They were seated in front of the Jungle Cruise, waiting right where they were supposed to be, and had been so for what felt to be a very long time.

“How late is he now, Spencer?” Jack asked.

Spencer looked at his watch. It was 10:45 in the morning and Aaron Hotchner, the boy’s father, was supposed to have met them 45 minutes prior.

“He was supposed to be here 45 minutes ago, Jack. I’m sure he’ll be here soon. If he isn’t here within 15 minutes I’ll call your dad, alright?”

Jack nodded and started kicking his legs against the planter. Spencer balled his hands into fists and clenched them tight before relaxing them, hoping to ease some of his…annoyance. The sad expression currently gracing Jack’s face was getting to him. He wasn’t even sure who he wanted to yell at.

He couldn’t yell at Jessica and Garcia. He personally thought they had had great intentions and it was likely a superb idea in the conception. Hotch needed some one on one time with Jack, plus Beth had been seeing Aaron for a while and they did need to spend time together so she could get to know Jack and Jack could get to know her since she insisted things were serious and she wanted to be part of the family at some point. A vacation together to someplace family friendly was a good concept. Disneyland was inspirational when the upper echelons decided they wanted some recruitment seminars done in the LA area. Garcia managed to get the seminars in sets, three on Tuesday and one Friday night and then a conference that wanted Hotch to speak on Thursday night (and Caltech), but the schools couldn’t schedule them any closer than that. It would give Beth and Jack a day together to get to know each other. Furthermore, CalTech asked for Reid specifically to come lecture this time so Reid would be there too. Reid could be there as back up. Back up being the key words. It made sense.

So Garcia bought the same Disney Package for Reid as she bought Beth and the Hotchners and Beth and Aaron worked out an itinerary of sorts (the second time around, the first they did it alone and the ideas didn’t mesh), with a great deal of input from Reid, Jessica and Garcia …and the rest of the team. Some people were slightly worried the Reid might feel left out on some days (Garcia and Hotch), but Spencer quickly reminded them that he knew what to do to entertain himself, plus he had a few friends in the area. Anyone believing him about the friend part was still up for debate, of course. Reid had promised picture evidence.

Monday was to be a day spent all together in the park. Tuesday was Beth and Jack’s day together while Hotch was out and about doing seminars, and Wednesday was Jack and Daddy day, with Beth getting a full day at the spa. Reid had plans both days to meet with different friends at the park – which friends dependent on who was available, which surprised Hotch when Reid told him. Apparently Disneyland didn’t scream ‘a place Reid would enjoy’ to very many people, according to Hotch. It had always had a sparkly soft place in Spencer’s heart though, from the one family vacation they’d had there on. Thursday was to be Jack and Spencer day, giving Aaron and Beth a day together and then Friday was family day with just the Hotchners and Beth while Reid was at CalTech giving lectures and inevitably catching up with a friend or two. Saturday was another everyone at the park day or a something day and Sunday they were to fly home. It should have worked well, or at least been fine. The plans were good, solid even. They were meshed out to some extent, signed and practically sealed. No, Spencer could not lay blame for his seething ire on either Garcia or Jessica.

He didn’t want to blame Hotch too much either. Aaron Hotchner was his boss, his mentor and Spencer considered him a friend, maybe even one of his best friends. He had a great deal of respect for the man. Hotch cared. Most of the time, Hotch was a very together type of man. He focused on his family and the team, who he said was his chosen family. For the most part, Spencer had unfailing trust in Hotch’s decisions and judgment. In fact, in anything work related Spencer still did. Personal life related, Spencer was having a hard time with trusting Hotch right now. See, Jack usually came first. He had since Haley’s death. This was a good thing, in Spencer’s opinion Then Morgan and Rossi started in on the “you should be ready to date again” thing and the “you need a woman in your life to be a complete man” thing and even played the “surely you miss sex and are dying without having it constantly” thing. And Beth showed up after following and spying on him for a while and Morgan and Rossi jumped all over that as a good and wonderful thing because apparently pretty much stalking someone is a great way to get someone to notice you? Yeah. And of course Spencer’s own retaliation to those voices of “if you are happy, you don’t really need that. Focus on what is making you happy” wasn’t heard, or heeded to. And he couldn’t really explain to his boss that the woman’s manner of getting to know Hotch made Spencer uneasy, especially since neither Morgan or Rossi seemed to see anything wrong with it, nor did anyone else on the team, and they didn’t think Reid had any clue whatsoever about getting to know anyone else in the first place anyway. So, really Rossi and Morgan were partially to blame. Spencer relaxed as a tab of his ire found a bit of focus. He bundled up negative thoughts in his mind and sent them as a mind mud ball straight to Rossi and Morgan, he only wish it really worked.

Sadly a deep sad sigh from Jack, who cocked his head to the side and leaned forward to read Spencer’s watch, brought Spencer’s irritation right back to the issue…Disneyland family vacation.

As much as Spencer really disliked the feeling, right now he nearly hated Beth and he was very mad at Hotch. ‘Sorry Bossman, as Garcia would say, but your son should come first when on a family vacation. Heck your son should always come first over someone who you are simply dating. Furthermore, you should make it clear to the female involved in the picture that it is so and that since she agreed to the vacation under the concept of family vacation and spending the time together as a family that she needs to buck up and hold up her end. Heck, the lady even helped do the planning! She had plenty of time to put forth other options and ideas and she didn’t.’ Spencer had given that mental lecture so many times over the past few days that half the time he was afraid he was going to yell it a Jack instead of Jack’s dad. Oh yes, at the moment Hotch was who he was mad at but Beth was wherein all the seething ire and irritation lay, and she been its source from the bloody start!

Spencer had thought there might be issues when Beth called Garcia to make sure Spencer was indeed booked at the same hotel as them and had the same type passes they did, without Hotch knowing she had done so and telling Garcia not to let him know she had. Even more when Beth, who Spencer simply really didn’t see as a very girly girl woman, spent the evening Garcia hosted - where they all…the whole team, Jessica and Beth…planned out what types of activities each day should hold in a vague manner so they could make other decisions while there- gushing over taking Jack to all ‘little kid’ rides and to see those girly things that every child should see but strong grown men might not want to bother with. It was so very fake and for show and just not what Spencer knew the woman to be like. It had gone over well with Garcia, Alex, JJ and Jessica though, as well as Rossi and Morgan.

Spencer **knew** that there had been issues during the flight. He knew because Jack ended up sitting by him even though he was supposed to be sitting in the window seat on the row with his dad and Beth. The stewardess who escorted Jack to him and asked if Spencer minded if Jack sat by him only said that the arrangement would ease tension and space issues. Jack had answered that Beth apparently always had the window seat while flying and the man on the other side of the aisle didn’t want to sit so near a child. To Spencer it wasn’t a problem.

Jack, on the other hand, didn’t seem too happy about it.

“Jack, you all right?” Spencer had asked him.

“Dad was supposed to read to me and play games with me on the laptop. We downloaded them just for the plane trip.” Jack said quietly. 

“I’m sorry. You all right with getting just me?” 

Jack shrugged.

“I could read to you.” Spencer had offered.

Jack had given him a small smile. “I’d like that. Anything for kids?”

“I’ve got Harry Potter? I was going to analyze it.”

Jack had given him a bigger smile after he told him that.

“Yeah, that would be good.” Jack had told him. 

He had read aloud Harry Potter to Jack, and apparently the two children in the row in front of them and the two children in the row behind if the faces presses against the chairs and hanging over the back of seats were any bit of a clue, and the stewardess fed them extra snacks. He even got kissed on the cheek by the mom of the two children who had seats in row in front of them who told Spencer he was a gift from heaven. Still, although Jack told Spencer as they were departing the plane that he was very glad he got to sit by Spencer, there had been issues. Spencer spent Sunday night calling friends and setting up meeting times.

Issues continued unabated. Monday started with Beth not wanting to hit the park when it opened…supposedly Jet lag. Spencer got to the suite of rooms the Hotchners and Beth were sharing in time to hear Beth yelling at Hotch and Jack sitting in front of the television with a look of long suffering on his face.

“What happened?” Reid had asked.

“Dad knocked on her door and told her it was time to start getting ready to head out. He hasn’t been able to get a full sentence in since. I’ve watched a full cartoon and this one is almost over.” Jack had said.

“This happen often?”

Jack had just shrugged. Spencer ran his hand through Jack’s hair.

“I’ll settle it.”

Reid had marched up to the door to the room Beth was sleeping in and pounded on it. The yelling had paused long enough for him to shout “We have breakfast reservations in the park that Jessica kindly paid for. The person who causes Jack to miss out on his expensive breakfast with character interaction will be explaining it to Jessica within an hour of missing the breakfast or I will be explaining it to Jessica, which will not be pretty. Jack and I will meet you two in the lobby in ten minutes, we are going to go get a notebook, and other necessary items for spending time in the park. Oh, and Beth, you have your tickets and stuff as part of a package, you all must claim them at the same time.”

By the time Spencer and Jack had picked up what Spencer had deemed necessary for them all, Hotch and Beth were in the lobby. It had been close enough to ten minutes that Spencer ignored they were actually a bit late. 

Beth had taken one look at Jack and started to fuss again.

“It’s bad enough that he wears a purse” pointing at Spencer, “but now he has your son wearing one too,” She’d said.

“I wear a satchel, this one is much smaller than my usual, but I could go switch if you’d like. Jack has a side bag. It holds his autograph book, two pens, a water bottle and some fruit snacks.”

“The boy’s wearing a necklace,” she’d then whined.

“As will all of us be. And it’s a lanyard. Jack chose the blue Mickey and Gang with a cloth zippered pouch with clear id holder. His holder gives his first name and each of our phone numbers as well as Garcia’s. Do you have a better idea on where to attach Jack’s safety information?” They all shook their heads. “Good. You have a choice of red Mickey and gang, light blue Pooh Bear, purple Tinker Bell, red Tinker Bell, or pink princesses. Rossi gets Dopey, sorry.”

Beth had taken the red Mickey and Gang and Reid never did come to any conclusion on whether or not her expression while doing so was a smirk or a glare. Hotch chose the light blue Pooh Bear lanyard and with help making a choice from Jack Reid hung the dark purple Tinker Bell and crew lanyard around his neck. As soon as it was on Spencer fished a handful of pins out of his pocket, various Stitch pins, and pinned them on the lanyard. Beth glared even more. The rest the lanyards went into his satchel for use when putting together souvenirs. Reid knew he ought to have not counted on the fuss being over yet, but at the start of the week he’d still been optimistic and since the short walk to the ticket booths and the gates had been pretty much what Spencer saw as typical family type walks…kids running ahead and parents calling them back, kids climbing/hanging/twirling on light posts and benches and whatnots, kids laughing…well Spencer had been hopeful that the morning was just bad because maybe Beth wasn’t a morning person (although Hotch ran in the morning and he’d met Beth while running…in the morning, so Spencer knew he was just indulging in wishful thinking).

He had found himself still hopeful those first few moments when he’d been dealing with the blow-up over the cameras Garcia and Jessica had given him to give to the others right before entering the park.

They were in the line to have their bags checked. Spencer had pulled his camera of the day out, a compact Canon Powershot, and then asked if the others had brought anything. Hotch had forgotten his camera in the morning chaos, Beth snorted, and - as Garcia and Jessica had known beforehand- Jack didn’t have one, so Spencer pulled out their gifts from the women back home. They weren’t cheap cameras but they weren’t nearly as fancy as Reid’s own and they were all small enough to carry without hassle. 

Beth had had a fit, well several actually.

The first was focused on why she’d even want carry a camera, to which Jack responded with the completely logical answer of “to take pictures with of course, It’s what you do on vacations so you can look and remember how much fun you had’ and well, one really couldn’t argue with that at all. Then she moved on to the complaint that they didn’t all need cameras, to which Spencer merely handed over the notes Garcia had sent, which explained she wanted to see things from everyone’s point of view. It was the next part that infuriated Reid.

“You simple can’t give that camera to a child.” Beth had said, pointing to the camera Garcia had sent for Jack. “He’s too small and too young and he won’t be able to do anything good with it. It is a waste. He’ll lose it or break it. If that silly girl thinks she needs to see photos from all of us we can simply go get a cheap disposable that won’t be wasted when he ruins it.”

Jack sighed again and Spencer pulled himself out of thinking about how mad he’d been at Beth at that moment two days before. “Hey Jack; want a snack or maybe a treat while we wait?” Spencer asked.

Jack shook his head. “I’m still full from breakfast.”

“Want to look about in the shops? There are several right here, we wouldn’t miss your dad. We could find something for your aunt or maybe Henry.”

Jack just shook his head again and Spencer let himself wallow in his ire again. The camera issue had really bugged him. Jack was plenty old enough and responsible enough to handle a camera. Hotch had luckily grabbed the notes and Spencer handed the cameras meant for the others out. Jack’s was a shock and water resistant Nikon, which was easy to turn on and take pictures with and Hotch told Jack if he took really good photos maybe they could find a competition or somewhere to show them, and Spencer took great joy in rambling about county fairs and ages which one entered photos in them for prizes throughout the nation. Beth refused her camera, which was fine…Spencer had just tucked it back into its case in his satchel… and Spencer was pretty certain he’d even seen her stomp her foot. Garcia had found a strap to make it so Jack could wear the camera around his neck, as well as the usual wrist strap and a special strap that clipped to Jack’s belt loops and reminded Spencer of those dog leaches that retracted and let the dog move forward or come closer without the leash getting in the way. While they got the bags checked and stood in line to enter the park Hotch showed Jack how to center what he wanted to take a picture of and how to use the zoom functions and how to take his pictures and Spencer thought maybe the day would end up the family day it was supposed to be. When Jack showed Spencer his first good photo, in focus and with everyone’s head in the picture, and Spencer told him ‘good work’, the smile the young Hotchner gave Spencer made hope bloom in his chest.

He remained hopefully during breakfast, even when he handed out the autograph books to Beth and Aaron and she complained about how stupid it would look for her as an adult to be seen asking for autographs (‘but that is what moms do so didn’t she want to practice’, said Jack). He was even still hopeful when Spencer had set out the pink princess autograph book he’d bought which he was getting filled for Garcia and Beth –in front of Jack and Hotch- asked if being such a flaming fairy had any effect on how he was treated while out in the field…loud enough that not only the character who’d been speaking to Jack at the time heard but most the neighboring tables heard as well. 

“That book’s for Auntie Penny, Beth,” Jack had answered. “We are taking it around so we can get as many signatures as possible as a thank you for setting up our family vacation for us. We wanted a picture of each character and their autograph. Spencer said he’d use his camera for it. Spencer says he has a huge card in his camera and two extra cards just as big and he showed me how he changes his camera’s card and its battery pack and it was so cool. Spencer is even going to get the princesses and pixies signatures even though he agreed giggling girls are kind of scary. I think he is just the bestest type of friend to have.”

“Besides,” Spencer had said, while cutting his hotcake. “If I’d wanted to flaunt my flaming fairyhood, I’d have bought myself the purple pixie autograph book and worn pixie wings today.”

“Spencer bought himself a Mickey Mouse book, but he said he’d wait to fill his autograph book until after we do Auntie Penny’s so we aren’t asking too much and taking too much time. It’s more important that the characters get to get hugs from all us kids than spend tons of time on just one kid. He said he didn’t even care if he didn’t get as many autographs because he was doing it that way.” Hotch had beamed a smile at Jack and Spencer before eating his next bite.

“Spencer is a pretty good guy and Garcia definitely deserves such a great treat for getting us all here together,” Hotch had answered.

The character who had been at their table when Beth made her comment leaned down and whispered to Spencer as he left the table.

“If you set your autograph book and the princess one out on the edge of the table I’ll make sure everyone here signs it. That was extremely offensive what that lady said about you. Do you want just a character photo of each?” 

Spencer had nodded. He had hoped not many had heard, because it was rather a hurtful comment to him, but soon realized what Beth had said and how Jack had responded must had spread through the restaurant because all the Characters present had come over to say hi to Jack and get their pictures taken with him and a Disney Photographer was there for each one, creating photopass cards for both Spencer and Hotch. Several times Hotch had joined Jack for pictures and Spencer had had his own camera out to capture the smiles on the Hotchner’s faces at those times. By the end of breakfast, both Spencer’s and Garcia’s autograph books were sitting on the edge of the table right where Spencer had first sat them, but there were more signatures in them than there had been characters at the breakfast and tucked in Spencer’s book was another photopass card with a note that read ‘ _a lot of us get that kind of nastiness directed to us just because we’ve chosen this job. Hearing that little boy just defend you like that and how you responded touched several of us deeply. Some of us are and all of us are accused of it and you just made the comment so much less offensive by showing how silly it seemed. Thanks. By the way, there is a note on the first page of the princess book, you could give it too any of the workers in the pixie or princess areas and they’ll get it signed by them all and you wouldn’t even have to stay if you didn’t want to.’_ Beth had just pouted and refused to let anyone touch the autograph book that was supposed to be hers. Still Spencer stayed hopeful.

Sometimes during Monday Spencer’s hope built, like when they all rode the Buzz Lightyear ride and Hotch had so much fun the first time sitting by Beth that he turned right around and took Jack back in line for a go with just him and Jack. Beth and Spencer looked at the stores nearby, but not together. It had suited Spencer fine, Spencer had lists of souvenirs to buy – including a shopping list for Henry complete with pre-paid credit card to buy it all with from JJ and Garcia’s list of needed awesomeness, also complete with a pre-paid credit card. He did finish outfitting the crew in lanyards so he could complete his personal souvenir idea and started his pins for the trip, so he considered that a huge plus. Or the times when Hotch would lift Jack up and swing him around as they walked from site to site. He was even hopeful when they were on the river boat and Hotch gathered Jack to his side and explained how the water wheel worked and Beth smiled at them both.

Sadly the hope building moments weren’t nearly as many as the cringe worthy moments….90% of which focused around Beth. (“Aaron, Jack can’t possibly go on that ride…he’ll have nightmares for weeks and he sleeps in the same set of rooms as me!” “Star Wars? No. I won’t go.” “You can’t possibly expect me to get on that ride. I’ll get wet!” “That is a bad idea, that ride goes too fast and is for big people.” and her favorites used at least five times or more during the day… “Seriously? How silly.” “Now why on earth would I want to do that?” “I don’t want to share a ride with the kid, have him ride with Reid.” “Don’t you want to ride with just me, just the two of us Aaron. We could snuggle close. We can’t do that with Jack in the middle. Besides, you wouldn’t want Reid to be all alone, now would you?” “I will Not ride with that geek. You had better come up with a different way to work this. Now!”).

And who’d have thought bathroom breaks should be the cause of near melt downs, from the adult? (“What do you mean he has to go? We are almost to the next place, tell him to just wait.” “Make him stand still, that moving about so much is driving me insane.”) Not to mention lunch and dinner! Spencer still isn’t sure what Hotch and Beth ate for lunch, he grabbed he and Jack sandwiches from the bakery on Main Street for lunch, after listening to Beth complain after Jack said he was hungry, for over an hour. And who would have guessed having more than one option in a space could cause so much chaos. Luckily Hotch finally just asked Jack and Jack chose something from that wharf area. So much fussing and fretting about Jack and so little time spent with him. 

Spencer, on the other hand, had spent a whole lot of time with Jack and together they marked their maps, got their autographs and planned for the other days (Jack’s map had rides he needed to go on still because Beth either wouldn’t go or wouldn’t let him and Spencer’s map had each ride they went on with a date and time listed by it.) Frankly, Spencer was amazed they rode much of anything with all Beth’s restrictions, but they did manage some rides. Several times, though, Beth and Hotch rode alone and Spencer was instructed to stay with Jack. It was not necessary and it was very annoying, but it gave Spencer time to get Jack’s pins started, or chat about what Jack wanted from the vacation to the park. It was also discouraging. However Monday night, by the end of the World of Color show where Jack sat on Aaron shoulders for half the show and the whole show was spent talking with his daddy, Spencer had gone to bed full of hope. Then yesterday had happened.

Jack sighed again and Spencer looked at his watch. Technically he still had six minutes before the time he’d given to call Hotch but Jack’s sighs were breaking Spencer’s heart. He even considered starting to pull out all the keepsakes from their trip that Spencer had been gathering and handing them to Jack to see if he could generate a spark of happiness. 

“Hey, Kiddo, would you like me to call your dad right now?” Spencer asked.

“Would you? Maybe he could tell us where to meet him, maybe the lines were long and he’s stuck in one somewhere.” Jack said, smiling.

Spencer took out his phone and dialed Hotch. It rang till it went to voice mail the first time, and then Spencer sent a text that threatened Hotch with a call from Spencer to Garcia. A count to fifty later and Spencer called Hotch again. The phone on the other end was picked up on the second ring.

“Hotchner.”

“Hotch and Hotch Jr day was supposed to start one hour fifty seven minutes and 42 seconds ago. This morning Jack and I agreed to let Beth have an hour of Hotch and Hotch Jr day and you two could have a two hour massage and breakfast, but you promised that was all and you be here. You did work hard yesterday and you did deserved a nice massage. However, that two hour time slot was over fifty eight minutes ago. Where are you?”

“Beth surprised me and booked four hours for us. And wants to have lunch, maybe. She had such a long day yesterday and did so much walking and such and I know how exhausting keeping up with a wild Jack can be and especially if he’s acting up for someone, and she said that after all the time I spent talking and standing I should just take the full time she booked, after all she already spent the money for it and she is right, I wouldn’t want to waste her hard earned money by not staying. Jack will…”

“Stop! Stop right there.” Spencer sputtered on the phone. “There is so much wrong with that statement I don’t even know where to start, but you will listen or I will call both Garcia and Jessica about this, so hold just a second before I start and get somewhere where you can listen freely.”

“Jack, I’m going to step right over there… three steps… and finish talking to your dad for a few. I’ll be able to see you and you’ll be able to see me, all right?” Spencer asked Jack as he pulled the phone away from his ear.

“Sure, do you know where Dad is and when he’ll be here?” Jack asked.

“I’ll find that out.” Spencer said.

Spencer walked the largest three steps he could manage and put the phone back up to his ear.

“I hope you heard that. So let me start with something… a simple rule you make us follow in everything. If you set a time to be somewhere and you are going to be significantly late, you call. Can you remember what you consider significantly late, Boss? I can. Fifteen minutes. If it’s good for work and friends, it had better the heck be good for family…especially when your child’s concerned.” Spencer started.

“Reid…” Hotch tried to break in.

“And another thing. Have Beth tell you about her day with Jack yesterday, why don’t you? Ask her what they did? Where they went? Who they saw? Who did Jack meet? What was Jack’s favorite part of yesterday? Did they go on all the rides she originally said they’d go on, way back when you two were planning out days or even on the night at Garcia’s? What ones did they miss? I suggest you take notes. Then when you get here, have Jack tell you about yesterday. What did he see, who did he meet, what was his favorite part of the day? And more importantly look at Jack’s camera…wait maybe… no go for it, look at Jack’s camera record of yesterday. I had a wonderful day yesterday and my friend Ian Evens and his little girls will love to tell you about yesterday as well. When you are done talking to Jack, I’ll give you his number so you can compare. You’re a profiler, figured it out yet?” Spencer continued.

“But…”

Spencer didn’t let Hotch continue. “Furthermore, Beth’s spa day today has been paid for, she is not spending her hard earned cash for it, maybe she spent some money to add you to her time or add a couple’s time to her time, but hers is all bought and paid for. All the girls chipped in and spent their hard earned cash for a full spa day, 8am to 8pm –breakfast, lunch and dinner. Top of the line treatments, the works. If she isn’t using that package then she is the one wasting people’s hard earned cash and ditching a heartfelt gift from those people who care most about you. Not to mention, this morning I heard her say it was just two hours. When you called me to come and get Jack so you guys could head out to the breakfast and massage, she said it was TWO hours. Those were the words, Aaron, just two hours for a couple’s massage and breakfast. You did stand and talk a lot yesterday. Jack and I, we were fine to get breakfast and spend an hour here by ourselves. We didn’t begrudge you those two hours of relaxation. But today is Dad and son day, tomorrow Beth gets you during the day and we all know that, but today Jack was supposed to get you all day. And we all knew that, too. She could have spent her hard earned money and booked you for four hours tomorrow and it would be fine. This, right now, is not fine.”

“Reid, you aren’t trying to tell me that my girlfriend lied to me are you?” Hotch managed to get through.

“Do I have to tell you that? Do you deny she said it was just two hours?”

“No, she did but she said the other two were a surprise and she hadn’t wanted to ruin it, that’s not really a lie.”

“Isn’t it? Think outside her being your girlfriend. Wouldn’t you consider it one if it was a suspect or witness or victim even? Considering the rest of it? Not to mention, did she or did she not know what day today was?” Spencer asked. He looked at Jack, who was being joined on the edge of the planter by three other kids who looked near his age. Spencer looked up and saw a man with dark hair who seemed to say something his way. Spencer figured he was asking if Jack was with him and he nodded and waved. The other man gave a cute little wave as well. Spencer let himself gaze a bit before focusing back on the phone and his conversation.

There was silence on the other end of the phone while Spencer waited double the normal amount of time for Hotch to take his turn to speak and for the noise around him to die down a bit. “Anyway,” Spencer said, giving up on Hotch answering the last few questions right then. “We need to know when you will be getting here. I’m supposed to meet my friend at noon, and I need to know if I need to call him and have him meet me later or not meet me at all.”

“I’ll try to be there before noon, but I’m sure there is no need for you to change your plans.” Hotch said.

“I don’t think you understand. This friend, we dated when I was in college. He will greet me with a kiss, on the lips, and maybe not a small one.”

“In college, Reid!”

“Hey! I was in college a while. I was seventeen when we started dating. I dated him from the Christmas time I was seventeen to Christmas time I was eighteen and moved to MIT. He’s the one who made it so I didn’t completely lose it when I institutionalized my mom….one of like three or four people who helped me through that. He was also in Colorado on an exchange during that semester so helping me wasn’t the easiest thing for him to do but he made time and he did it, so anyway we saw very little of each other then, mind you, so we really only dated from December to like August. He was nineteen when we dated, so only like two years older than me.”

“All right, all right, you were fine I guess. It should be fine. Jack will be good.”

“Even if he kisses me? Is Jack ready to hear that topic discussed?”

“He’s heard it. His friend Jordan at school has two daddies.”

“All right then. Where and when do you want us to meet you and what would you like us to do until you get here?”

“Enjoy the park and I’ll call in in about ten minutes to tell you when and where to meet me. I guess I do need to have a small discussion with Beth.”

“Just a small one today, please Hotch? Jack needs you to be able to be in the mood to really enjoy today.”

“Yeah, okay. And Spencer, thanks for looking out for my son.”

Spencer looked over to Jack again, who was still sitting with the three kids. They were talking and Jack was actually looking animated. “Anytime, Hotch. Anytime.”


	2. chapter 2

Jack sat on the planter and kicked his legs against the side. Spencer was…what was that word Auntie Penny used… brooding. He had been that way yesterday for the first half hour and then Spencer asked Jack if he’d mind spending the day with his friend Ian and his girls, because Spencer really wanted to be able to see Ian again. Jack had agreed even though he had worried a bit about that, but Ian and the girls were nice and made sure Jack was included in everything they did. Plus, Ian had funny stories about Spencer, ones Jack was certain Auntie Penny didn’t know. Besides, Jack couldn’t complain much. Spencer was brooding but Jack figured he might be feeling a bit that way, too.

His dad wasn’t here yet and they’d been waiting and waiting and waiting. “Spencer?” Jack called.

Spencer didn’t respond right at first. He had his deep stressful thinking face on. Jack leaned against Spencer and patted his arm. Spencer looked at Jack and managed a sort of a smile. “How late is he, Spencer?”

Spencer answered and Jack frowned and started kicking his feet again. His dad was 45 minutes late after he promised! This was his day for his dad, his! Earlier, when his dad was just fifteen minutes late and hadn’t called yet, Jack had worried. What if he’d been hit by a car while walking? What if one of the bad guys came and took him away? What if he was hurt somewhere and couldn’t get to a phone? But Spencer had picked him up and held him when he’d started breathing faster and Spencer rubbed his back and Jack remembered that his daddy was very nearly a superhero and so should be safe, and he had ID on him and Garcia (because she was Garcia in work form and Auntie Penny when she was in his friend form) was really pretty much a superhero too and would have called if his daddy had been hurt and needed them. Jack had reached up to hold onto his ID and relaxed a bit and Spencer set him back down when he’d wiggled his let me down wiggle.

Jack thought it kinda funny Spencer knew that when a kid you were holding wiggled that way you let them down, because Spencer didn’t have his own kid and Dad said Spencer and kids didn’t mix well. Derek said Spencer and kids were a disaster waiting to happen. Jack thought Spencer and kids did just fine and that maybe Dad and the crew just hadn’t ever really given Spencer and kids a chance. Spencer just didn’t see the point of treating a kid like they were dumb. He even talked to babies like they were real people. Jack liked that Spencer thought he was a real person. And he knew cool people and hanging with him Disneyland was actually really neat. But it would still be better to be with his dad today because today was Dad and Jack day. Jack sighed and looked down at the watch on Spencer’s wrist. He thought maybe one or two minutes had passed, but it was hard to tell because Spencer’s watch just had hands and not even any numbers, just dots.

Tomorrow was Spencer and Jack day, it was supposed to have been the only Spencer and Jack day, because Tuesday, yesterday, was supposed to have been Beth and Jack day. But after his dad had left yesterday morning, Beth called Spencer. Jack remembered what she said, even though Beth probably didn’t think he could hear her, she’d turned the TV up loud and placed him way too close to it.

“Spencer, I need you to take Jack today.” Beth had said into the phone. Jack couldn’t hear Spencer’s said of the conversation, but he heard Beth’s excuse.

“I just can’t even think about going out today. I’ve got a headache, it might even be heading into a migraine, and I just need to relax here at the hotel in peace.”

“Oh no, I’m certain I don’t need any medication or anything thing else.”

“Do you? Yes, well, I’m certain that none of those tricks will work on this headache. No, I’m not really feeling sick nor do you need to ask if the hotel staff can darken the room any. Yes, I’m sure I have a huge headache.”

“Women get migraines. You’re a guy, you know nothing.”

“Stop it with those f (a bad word Jack would get his mouth washed out with soap for saying) statistics and come get the child. I don’t care what you think, the fact is if you don’t come get him and do stuff with him he’ll be here all day and I’m certain Aaron doesn’t want him just watching TV all alone by himself all day long.” That had been said in about as close to a growl as a person could get and Jack had gathered his bag and stuff closer to him in case he had to go someplace to get away from being hurt. He was very glad his dad helped him pack his bag before he’d left.

“No, I didn’t mean I’d leave him alone at the hotel, of course not.” Beth’s voice had been sweet and sappy again when she’d said that, but Jack noticed her face wasn’t a nice one. “I’d never do anything like that with Aaron’s child. Just come get the thing.”

“I’m sorry I interrupted your shower. But you need to come get him within the next five minutes. I’ll make sure Jack is ready.”

Then Beth had hung up the phone and stalked to Jack. Jack backed up till his back was against the wall and still she got closer. Her face, even though she’d been smiling, was mad and grouchy.

“You’re going with that stupid walking computer today and all your dad needs to know is you had fun. Anything else and you’ll pay for it.”

She opened her mouth to say something else, but Spencer knocked on the door. Beth had left to open the door and Jack had moved so he could get his shoes and everything else he needed before Spencer entered the room. Beth had handed Spencer his ticket before Jack had even picked up his second shoe. He had run to Spencer in his socks and the door shut behind him with a slam. Beth had said nothing to Spencer, but Jack was glad she’d said nothing else to him either.

Spencer works with his dad though, so he had of course noticed that Jack wasn’t his normal self.

Spencer was panting as if he’d run along way. Also, Spencer’s hair was wet and even still a bit soapy and his clothes were wet, but still he just kneeled in front of Jack and then Spencer set his hand on Jack’s cheek. “You okay?” He had asked.

Jack hadn’t been able to actually speak and answer. He’d been sure he would have cried if he had. Spencer had simply picked him up and walked back to Spencer’s hotel room. And hadn’t that been interesting, because Derek told him before they left not to expect Spencer to pick him up, or to sit on Spencer’s lap, or anything like that, because Derek said Spencer didn’t like touching people, but Spencer just picked him right up without any hesitation at all. Of course, Jack couldn’t ever remember when Spencer hesitated to touch him when it was just him and his dad and Spencer either, but he did sometimes when the whole team was around. And Spencer didn’t like shaking hands with strangers, that was true, but Jack had seen him with people he knew touch sometimes. Jack thought maybe Spencer just took time to warm to people instead of being like Derek and getting buddy close quickly. When the got to Spencer’s room Spencer had set Jack in front of his laptop (and wouldn’t Auntie Penny be surprised Spencer had his own, she always insisted Spencer knew nothing about technology and laptops were technology) and showed Jack how to look at the photos Spencer had taken the day before while Spencer had finished his shower.

Less than two minutes had gone by before Spencer was back out and not looking soapy. He was wearing the wet clothes from earlier and he blushed. “Forgot to get clean clothing,” he had said. Jack had just stared at the computer so Spencer changed in the room with him instead of going back to the bathroom.

“Do you want to go to the park now or eat breakfast someplace first? I’m meeting my friend Ian Evens and his kids at ten thirty. Do you mind spending the day with Ian? I really would like to see him. Having you along will just make the day better, I think. He has girls, I’m afraid, so you’ll end up doing girly stuff today anyway and we’ll be in Disneyland proper all day because he’s bringing an extra and they only have a one day single park ticket for her.”

Jack had been worried. What if Spencer’s friend was mad because Jack was there? What if no one liked him? He agreed to spend the day with him though.

They had eaten at the hotel because there was a free breakfast there and they had got to the park and had even gone on one ride (Pinocchio) before Spencer had taken Jack to a small bench that hadn’t had many people around it and Jack had been certain Spencer was going to yell at him too. Because everyone always said Spencer wasn’t good with kids and Beth was supposed to be nice and look how she’d been towards him, so Spencer who was supposedly bad with kids would certainly not put up with Jack even though he’d been so wonderful all the other times they’d been together. But Spencer didn’t. 

“Jack,” Spencer had said, really softly and gently. “You are not acting okay. Did she hit you?”

Jack had shaken his head no, she hadn’t hit him but she had been just as scary. “She just was growly and got right up close to me and scared me.” Jack had explained. Then he took a deep breath and added his other worry. “What if your friend doesn’t like me? He hasn’t met me before and I’m not yours.”

“He’ll be fine. I bet he’ll have a blast with you. Ian wishes he had a boy, you know, but so far all he and his wife have are girls. Besides, he’s bringing one of his daughter’s friends and I’ve never met her, but I’m sure it will be fine. I think you’ll have to help me. I don’t think I do too well with little girls, maybe not big girls either, come to think about it.”

Jack had laughed at that and Spencer had given him a hug and assured him again everything would be fine. Jack sighed again. Yesterday had turned out fine but today so far was not!

“Hey Jack,” Spencer called him. “Want a snack or maybe a treat while we wait.”

“Nah,” Jack replied. “I’m still full from breakfast.”

Jack also turned down the option to look around at the nearby stores. His dad was sure to be here soon and Jack really didn’t want to miss him. He wanted to take his dad to the teacups, and to Peter Pan’s ride, and to the elephants. Maybe he’d even make his dad go see the princesses, but he doubted they’d have as good a time there as Spencer and he’d had the day before. If Jack hadn’t been missing his dad so much he probably would have been smiling thinking about that.

When Jack had first seen Ian, he had been certain that Ian was Spencer’s brother. They looked more alike than Jack’s dad and his brother Sean. Ian’s voice even reminded Jack of a deep Spencer voice. 

“Is he your brother?” Jack had asked.

Spencer had smiled and Ian had made a huge belly laugh that reminded Jack of his dad’s co-worker Derek.

“Nope.” Ian had told him. “But when he was just a young’un I made Spencer pretend to be my brother so I could date a girl I liked. I dragged him here to Disneyland to keep company with this girl’s little sisters and called him by my brother’s name, Oliver, the whole time. Spencer was such a good guy he went right along with it and even dealt with giggling teen girls for me.”

Spencer had then laughed as well, and Jack decided he really liked Spencer’s laugh. It was soft but it sounded like a hug felt. “It was a win-win arrangement all the way around and Claire’s sisters were fun. It was really the first time in my life I’d been around girls my own age and not been terrified. Probably just as important for me as anything else that year.”

“Remember the first time I brought you here so you could keep my story believable?” Ian asked, laughing some more.

“Hey, I remembered it all. I can’t believe you found a day with so few people so we could manage your crash course to Disneyland and have it work.”

“I had connections. I still have connections.” Ian had said, looking very smug. Jack had made a mental note to hear more of those stories from Spencer later.

Ian brought Jade and Ruby with him, as well as Ruby’s friend Kimi. Ruby was eight, so a little bit older than Jack and Jade was just turned six, but she was tall. Spencer had laughed when Ian told him he’d left his wife, who was almost ready to have another baby and a girl named Emmy at home, because they would have cramped everyone’s style. Jack had worried a bit that they would only do girl things, and might even have had to go shopping for princess gowns or something, but the first place they all went was to Space Mountain and it was fun. Kimi, though, really wanted to see the princesses, so that was where they headed next. Spencer was funny to stand with in line. First he and Ian had talked about seeing princesses once for Claire’s little sister Jo-Jo’s friend and how badly they were teased until Spencer asked the princess they were talking to to dance and then waltzed with her and several others who’d come to get a dance as well. Then Jack had asked Spencer for a story and Spencer had told them all about living in a castle and how one should greet a princess and Ian had laughed because all sorts of children and parents in the line had come closer to listen. Spencer had taught him to bow and the few other boys to bow and all the girls how to properly curtsey because Spencer knows pretty much everything. (But Ian had to teach Spencer the best way for potty breaks and Jack laughed so hard when Spencer hit his head onto his hand and asked why he’d never thought of that before. Ian’s rule is when you pass by a good potty stop, everyone has to try to go. It worked pretty good, too. Of course, Jack also learned it is much harder for Daddies with girls to take kids potty than if Daddies have boys.) Then when they had got to the front the girl had identified Spencer as the guy who’d given the lecture on castle living and taught the kids to curtsey and even though they had to wait a few extra minutes when they went in six of the princesses were there and they had all kissed Spencer at one time! Then Spencer handed them the autograph book for Garcia and the girl read the note, and she made him dig out his own and took all of the rest of the books (and Ian had forgotten one for Kimi, but Spencer had an extra one and Kimi didn’t even mind at all it was red and not pink). Since there were so many princesses, Spencer had told the girl they could just do one group picture with each, because he hated keeping the one set from their break and taking up too much time and possibly shorting other kids their time and the princesses all had made this dreamy sigh sound when they heard him. The girl and the princesses had insisted they had plenty of time to spend with such gallant men and such delightful girls and that they would do individual pictures. Spencer had insisted they had pictures with the three that had been on the floor first, and they insisted one individual photo with Jack, who bowed to each princess like Spencer had taught him. Then to Jack’s delight each princess had also insisted on pictures with Spencer, and each kissed his cheek while the photos were taken. Ian helped Jack get pictures of it. Auntie Penny was going to freak out when she saw them. Ian and his girls bowed and curtseyed just like Spencer had taught them too. And, right before they would have exited, the other three princesses showed up and did pictures with them and signed their books and kissed Spencer. The same thing had happened when they had gone to see the fairies too!

They had gone on all of the rides in Fantasyland and gone to see Mickey and Minnie, and Spencer had not complained once that they weren’t exciting enough, or that he’d had to share with one of the girls on a ride sometimes. All the rides, even the boat and the train one. They ate lunch before going to Tom Sawyer’s island at the horseshoe place, which had mozzarella sticks and then had Ice cream at the girl parlor on the big street and Jack got to choose what he wanted each time without any fuss. And walking through the castle had been amazing because Spencer told them about different sleeping beauty tales and all about the artwork and everything and when Jade got tired while walking around Tom Sawyers Island at the same time Kimi had hurt herself, Spencer picked Jade up and carried her and he didn’t make her feel like she was trouble or anything! He even recited the Pooh Bear stories while waiting to see Pooh bear after the Pooh Bear ride. Spencer was indeed the bestest of all people to go to Disneyland with, well expect his dad would be better, just because he’s his dad.

Jack sighed a huge sigh, one that almost sighed him off the side of the planter. “Hey, kiddo, would you like me to call your dad right now?” Spencer asked.

“Would you?” Jack asked. “Maybe he could tell us where to meet him? Maybe the lines are really long and he’s just stuck in one.” Jack smiled as he asked and hoped Spencer believed him, but he knew his dad wasn’t really in a line. Jack hadn’t told Spencer about getting back to the hotel the night before.

Jack watched as Spencer dialed, listened for a few, texted something, and then dialed again. He wondered if he ought to tell Spencer about the night before. About how Beth made him go right to bed and wouldn’t let him tell his daddy anything at all about his day. Jack thought maybe he should tell Spencer about Beth telling him that if he said anything about the day to his daddy beyond he had fun and the rides were fun that she’d make him sorry he did while his dad was in the bathroom.

Spencer’s voice was icy and Jack thought Spencer would be a good daddy to someone. Talk like that and a kid’d know they were in trouble. “Hotch and Hotch Jr day was supposed to start one hour fifty seven minutes and 42 seconds ago. This morning you **_promised_** you’d be here and Jack and I agreed to let Beth have an hour of Hotch and Hotch Jr day and you two could have a two hour message and breakfast. You did work hard yesterday and you did deserved it. However, that two hour time slot was over fifty eight minutes ago. Where are you?”

Spencer’s eyes started bugging out as he listened to what his dad was saying on the other side of the phone until Spencer snarled “Stop! Stop right there!”

Jack sighed. His dad must really be saying something stupid for Spencer to look so mad. He knew there hadn’t been a long line. Jack looked up as a hand touched his shoulder.

“Jack, I’m going to step right over there… three steps… and finish talking to your dad for a few. I’ll be able to see you and you’ll be able to see me, all right?” Spencer asked Jack. Jack nodded.

“Sure, do you know where Dad is and when he’ll be here?” Jack asked.

“I’ll find that out.” Spencer said.

Spencer stepped the biggest three steps Jack had ever seen. Jack couldn’t hear him very well anymore. He wasn’t sure he wanted to or not. Jack went back to kicking the planter, but he’d only got three kicks before some kids who looked his age sat down by him. 

“Bloody Hell,” said a man with wild dark hair and green eyes. He didn’t sound like he was from anywhere nearby but at least he was speaking English. There were a lot of people in Disneyland who didn’t. Jack thought Miss Emily would have fun because she liked different languages. Maybe Uncle Dave would as well, but Jack only ever heard him talk in Italian so maybe not so much. “You three stay right here while I run back and see if the bag is sitting on the floor of the shop. Stupid thing, can’t keep it on for rides and can’t keep track of it and arrgggg. I’ll ask this little boy’s da to watch you all but you have to stay put. It’ll be less than ten, I promise.”

The man shouted something to Spencer and Spencer waved, although there had been a large group of people and a huge amount of noise at the moment so Jack didn’t think Spencer knew what he’d agreed to. The man waved back.

“Al, you are to make sure none of you move!” The man told the child with the mop of hair like his and the green eyes like his.

“But Dad, I’m the oldest!” The other boy protested. He had a mop of dark hair too, but his eyes were brown.

“And yet if I left you in charge, Jimmy, I’d likely have to spend the next five hours looking for you all. Don’t let Flower wander.” The man glared at the little girl, who had red hair and eyes that were both brown and green all mixed together and who gave her dad a very innocent look but one Jack knew meant she wasn’t all that innocent.

The man ran off and the kids looked at Jack. 

“Hi, I’m Jimmy.” The brown eyed boy said. “That’s Al and Lils. I’m seven.”

“I’m Jack, I’m pretty much seven too.”

“But you aren’t then, not really? You’re six like Al and Lils then. I won’t let Al say he’s seven till he is.”

“Are they twins then? And I’ll be seven on Friday. It’s close enough.”

“Nah, Lils is the baby, but Al’s birthday isn’t until December and he always tries to say he’s seven starting like September. It doesn’t help he’s in the same classes as me at school. Dad always makes sure we don’t have the same teachers though, if he can manage it…something about it being not good to share classrooms with relatives due to issues of competition.”

“Your dad looks very mad.” The boy named Al said, pointing to Spencer.

“That’s not my dad.” Jack said. Al’s eyes got big and he pulled Jack closer.

“If he’s not your dad and you need help or something, my dad can help. He’s in law enforcement.” Al said.

Jack laughed. “No. I’m all right. That’s Spencer and he chases bad guys too. He’s on the phone with my dad. My dad’s in the FBI, he’s Spencer’s boss.”

Lils tilted her head sideways. “Your dad takes his co-workers on vacation with him?”

“Auntie Penny called it a working holiday. Dad worked all day yesterday giving talks to college kids about joining the FBI and Spencer will work on Friday at one of the colleges he went to. Today was supposed to be my dad and me day, but he’s late.” Jack said.

“Did he not get enough sleep and sleep in?” Lils asked.

“No, his girlfriend wanted to take him to a special breakfast, but he was only supposed to be at it till ten. I’m sure she has something to do with him being late. She wants to ruin everything.”

“Oh.” Said Al. “We’ve know that game. Dad finally decided he didn’t need a woman to make him happy, or rather he didn’t need anyone else to make him happy. He has to find that on his own. It was a good thing. The last girl was beyond horrid.” Al even shivered as he said that.

“Hey, I liked her.” Lils said. 

“Of course you did, she bought you everything you even looked at. She was mean to Jimmy and me.” Al snarled.

“Not again. Just remember Lils, she was also nasty to Dad. Anyway, where’s your mom? Can you complain to her?” Asked Jimmy.

“My mom died a while ago.” Jack said.

“Oh, our mom died at the start of the year.” Al said.

“I’m sorry. You must miss her.” Jack said.

“Not really,” said Jimmy. “We hadn’t seen her in years. She sent us to live with Dad in the USA when Al and I were three and Lils was just two and she wouldn’t even show up when we’d gone visiting to our grandparents. Dad’s all stressed about it though so we pretend we are sad when he mentions it and don’t mention it much other than that.”

“Is that why you don’t sound like your dad? You lived here mostly?”

Al nodded. 

“You’ve been in Disneyland long?” Jack asked.

“Today is our first day here. We’re doing three days but Dad said we’d do more if we didn’t do everything we wanted by the end of Friday. If we can manage that long. Dad’s left his bag twice.”

“He needs a bag like Spencer’s. Spencer’s only had to take it off once. They usually just let it rest on his side like that and buckle it in with him. Of course, he couldn’t find one just like Spencer’s, Spencer modifies his bags.”

“What’s on his neck?” Lils asked. Spencer had closed the phone and was giving it an exasperated look, however Jack thought the look was probably actually meant for his dad. He was toying with the lanyard around his neck.

“It’s a lanyard. His carries our tickets and fast passes and photo pass cards and the credit card from Auntie JJ and Auntie Penny’s and the card he put together for souvenirs and another one. I got one too.”

Jack pulled his lanyard out from under his jacket. “See, mine has a pocket which Spencer stuffed some money in, in case I was lost and needed some. And he pinned the badge that says first trip to it and my pin of mickey and my Halloween pin to it and in the clear plastic section of the pouch it has my name and phone numbers to call. Spencer’s has all sorts of pins on his, too. He says people use them to collect pins and hold id safe and easy.”

“Dad needs one of those.” Jimmy said. “This time he lost the bag because he set it down to get his money out because he doesn’t like having his wallet in his pocket and he thinks wearing a money pouch like he likes would look too odd here. Earlier he left if after getting our tickets out to get a fast pass to the Haunted Mansion. He almost left it on the floor of the tea cups, but Lils saw it and reminded him.”

Spencer sat down next to Jack.

“New friends?” Spencer asked.

“Their dad asked you to sorta watch them while he ran back to a store to get his bag, remember?” Jack said.

Spencer’s face scrunched up and he tilted his head before he gave a small laugh. “I thought he was asking if you were with me.”

“These are Jimmy, Al and Lils. Their dad works in law enforcement, too.” Jack said as he pointed to the kids. Spencer waved.

“Dad going to be here soon?” Jack asked.

“He says he’ll be here by noon probably. He said he’d call back in about 10 minutes to confirm that. I think he’s going to have a small chat with Beth.”

Jack sighed. “She’s gonna find some way to blame me again.”

Spencer’s face hardened a bit when he heard that but before he ask for an explanation, the other three children’s father came running up.

“See kids, less than ten minutes,” the dark haired man said.

Al rolled his eyes. 

“Dad, Jack here says his friend Spencer rarely even has to take his bag off, and see that thing around his neck? It holds his tickets, fast passes, photo cards and such. If you won’t put your wallet in your pocket, you should at least do one of those things. Twice dad, twice…and other close calls. We’ve only been here two hours!” Lils lectured, hands flying in huge gestures.


	3. chapter 3

The family sitting by Jack was entertaining. The boys both looked like mischief was their first and second names and behaving were a chore. Spencer suspected it had something to do with the mops of curls. The little girl’s freckles made him think of Pippy Longstocking, and she seemed to carry with her energy to match the girl in that story. The dad was cute and his kids were just as cute. The little girl had her hands on her hips when she started speaking to her dad and then those hands went flying everywhere. Spencer watched the dad roll his eyes and sigh and figured the girl must go off on him often, although the way the girl peeked towards Jack as she spoke made Spencer wonder if perhaps she was doing it for Jack’s benefit as well. The attention was certainly off Jack and onto himself. He gave a short wave at the man.

Spencer pulled the edge of his lanyard, pins jangling. He was filling his lanyard with pins as the days went by (usually two pins a day and a year pin, a mickey pin, and seasonal for multi day trips or a year, season, mickey and seven memories for single day trips) as he always did when he was at the park, at least since he found out about them and their use in collecting pins. He wasn’t trading much this trip, but he had a few pins ready for trading if he decided to. He collected other pins as well, one of those things he was certain his team did not know about. He needed about half the west coast national parks pins still, but had managed to get two of the Alaskan park pins as a gift from Patrick just the last summer. “It is useful, even without pins,” Spencer told the man. “Most stores that sell pins sell them.”

The dad thanked Spencer for watching his kids and gathered them up, heading towards the Haunted Mansion. Jacked sighed. “What did Dad say again?”

“He said to enjoy the park and he’d call in ten minutes, he’s got maybe two or three left till he calls. He said he’d be here probably by noon. Do you want to go look at the shops until your dad calls? Then we can use our Indiana Jones fast pass and go on the Jungle Cruise. Maybe even explore the tree house. All that after we call Patrick, of course, who we are calling the moment we get off the phone with your dad.”

Jack’s POV

Jack nodded and they went to the nearest stores, finding stuffed animals for Henry and t-shirts for himself and Spencer. They were paying when Spencer’s phone rang. 

Jack and Spencer sat back down on the planter as Reid answered the phone.

“Reid’s Phone,” Spencer said.

“It’s me,” Hotch said. His Daddy was talking loudly enough that Jack could hear him, like he was trying to talk over background noise. “Tell Jack I’m on my way and I can’t wait to see his photos from yesterday. I’d like to see yours as well Spencer, and maybe this evening we could talk. Can you join us for the parade and the magic memories thing by small world tonight? If you aren’t busy with your friend, or maybe he could come as well.”

“We’re going to use our fast pass to Indiana Jones and then go on the Jungle Cruise,” Spencer said. “You might be able to catch us between. If you aren’t sitting on the planter outside the Jungle Cruise, we’ll walk through the tree house and then come back to wait. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry Hotch.”

“Don’t be, please don’t be. Just keep up what you are doing and being there for Jack. I can’t tell you how much it means to me knowing you’ve got his back, even if it means taking me to task.”

“I still don’t like having to do so, Hotch. I don’t like this. It feels wrong to be irritated with you about this.”

“I’m on my way. We’ll talk about it later. Bye.”

“All right. Bye.” Spencer looked at the phone and then to Jack.

“You know, the phone does not send Dad that look,” Jack said.

“What look?” Spencer asked.

“The essasperated one,” Jack answered.

“Exasperated?” 

Jack nodded. “Yeah, you’ll have to remember to give that look to Dad, and not your phone.”

Spencer laughed and Jack smiled at him. “Your dad is on his way. Let’s go get in line and I’ll call Patrick while we go through the line. It might be a fast pass line, but even with pretty much no line it’s still a bit a walk to the start of this ride. It’s a fun walk though; lots of things to look at if take your time to do so. While we’re walking maybe you’d like to explain your statement earlier.” 

Jack sighed and agreed. Spencer called his friend and Jack briefly wondered if Patrick and his dad would end up meeting before Spencer introduced them, since he told them both to be at the same place to meet them. As Spencer pointed out different items while they walked, pausing to take photos, he also asked Jack to talk to him.

“What did you mean when you said she’d find a way to blame you again?” Spencer asked.

Jack hesitated answering and Spencer kneeled down to Jack’s level, even though people had to walk around them. 

“Jack, you can tell me anything and I will believe you. Even if she told an entire different story, what do you think would happen? How do you think I would work things out?” Spencer asked.

“You’d look for evidence and patterns?” Jack asked.

“First, I’d believe you, because you are Jack and I trust you. But you are right, I’d look for evidence and patterns and witnesses to fill out anyone’s story. And I remember. I remember other instances. Think you can tell me?”

“Can I tell you about last night first? I’ve been thinking I should all day.”

“Definitely. How about I pick you up and carry you so you can tell me quietly and we’ll still be moving?”

Jack nodded and let Spencer lift him and carry him. Spencer balanced Jack on his hip and even kept out his camera and took pictures, giving a reason for moving slowly while they weren’t in a real line situation yet. Jack told Spencer about how as soon as Spencer had dropped him off after feeding him Beth had told him to get ready for bed and how she wanted him asleep when his dad got home or else…but he hadn’t been and so his dad had come in and kissed him and asked how his day was. All Jack had managed was to answer he’d had fun before Beth had told his dad she wanted a nice long soak after such a long day and asked his dad if he needed the shared bathroom first, the one with the tub. His dad had headed to the bathroom and while he was there Beth had told Jack that if Jack answered anything other than he had fun and it was a good day she’d make him sorry and he’d regret it. Jack told Spencer how that had scared him so he pretended to be really tired when his dad got out and so his dad didn’t ask much.

“And your dad didn’t notice?” Spencer asked.

Jack shrugged. “He was kinda grouchy anyway, said all the silly kids at the night lecture just wanted to see his gun and know if he’d ever shot anyone.”

“Did he ask Beth about your day?”

“Beth just said she was exhausted from all the chasing around she had to do and told Dad he had a little monster as a child who didn’t listen well. But she didn’t say anything other than that just started talking about other things as soon as Dad asked for details.” Jack answered.

“You said she’d blame you again, Jack. Do you want to tell me more about that?” Spencer asked.

Jack could see where people were getting on the ride and decided to share a short one.

“Maybe one. She was mad at Dad most of soccer season because Daddy coached with Uncle Dave’s help again, and they always take us out for lunch after our games. She said now that Daddy had a woman in his life she should come before little boys soccer, and if not completely she should at least come before extra pointless time spent on one of the only free days he has. Not to mention he shouldn’t waste the money to take us kids out when he should be putting it to better use now. Dad said it was tradition and that he treasured his time with me and she told Daddy that he needed to realize if he wanted a woman in his life that he had to share focus, otherwise his child would never learn he had to share time. I do share time, a lot.”

Spencer gave Jack a hug and set him down in the last bit of the line for the ride.

“She’s wrong, Jack. First and foremost adding someone into one’s life should be just that, adding. Tell me what you know about adding?” Spencer asked.

“Well, you have one number and you put more with it.” Jack answered.

“So, if I had 2 apples and added one more, would those apples become pears?” Spencer asked.

“No. That would be silly.”

“If someone wants to add a new person to the two or three or however many there already in a family, the two or three or so already there aren’t supposed to become something else. Nor should the one being added have to become something else entirely. If that were the case, then maybe it isn’t the one to add. Will changes have to be made? Probably. You have new people to learn about and to get to know, wanting to make new people happy sometimes takes a bit of changes. Like maybe you would have to give your daddy and someone new a night or so a week to go out to dinner together or maybe you’d have to give up your toy room to be the someone new’s office, but those changes shouldn’t interfere with important things already in place, like soccer games your daddy and Dave have been coaching you in since the first year you could play. Instead she should have asked if she could come and have fun with you all together.”

Jack nodded. “Like you all do when you feel like you need to see me?”

Spencer ruffled Jacks hair as they watched the ride cars pull in front of them. “Exactly, or remember when I had to stay at your place while I changed apartments a while back? Before I knew you very well at all?”

“And Daddy asked me to move my books to the book shelf in my room and we had quiet hour and I couldn’t ask you to do things during quiet hour so you could get your things done without me bugging you constantly and always being in the way?”

“Yes. But after quiet hour I was there for together time for the rest of the day. Even though I’d never been in an experience like that, I couldn’t just demand quiet time all the time or refuse to be with you guys while I was supposed to be living with you guys. We compromised and shared and found ways to add someone to your family life without making it so everyone had to change completely. I didn’t make you live in the quiet I was used to but your daddy still made it so I had some of it so I could relax better and get some of what I was used to. ”

“I liked that time.” Jack said. “Hey, that was when we watched the Indiana Jones movies the first time!”

Spencer laughed as he settled his and Jack’s bags into the pocket before him, snapping photos before tucking his camera in as well. “Your daddy didn’t appreciate it nearly as much.”

“He did too; he always asks if I remember what Spencer told me about things.”

Then they were off and more squealing was done than talking. The ride was fun and Jack added it to his list of ‘rides to do with dad’. Spencer picked Jack up again as they exited, after Jack had been pushed against the wall a few too many times for Spencer’s liking by others exiting the ride, stopping to take a few photos on the way out. Spencer continued to carry Jack as they walked back to the Jungle Cruise entrance, as they seemed to be pushing through a crowd the wrong way. Just as they cleared the crowd and Spencer was about to put Jack down a large booming voice cried “Spencer!” and Jack felt himself engulfed in a hug.

The voice belonged to a man who didn’t seem to match it. He was the same height as Spencer but not as skinny, but not as big with muscles as Derek or probably even Jack’s dad. His voice was deep and rumbly though, Jack thought it might be a good Lion’s voice. The man stepped back a step and then proceeded to kiss each of Spencer’s cheeks, then his forehead, nose and a small kiss on his lips. Jack could feel the heat in Spencer’s face as the man kissed his lips and it made Jack giggle. The man finally looked at Jack and ruffled his hair.

“Good kid you got there.” The man said and Jack giggled again because Spencer’s face turned even redder.

Spencer put Jack down and hugged the man back, kissing him lightly back.

“Patrick, I’m so glad to see you. This is Jack. Jack, this is my friend Patrick.”

“Is he your boyfriend?” Jack asked.

“Not anymore, but he was a long time ago. Now we are just friends who don’t get to see each other very often.” Spencer said.

“Oh, because if he was you could have given him a good kiss. It wouldn’t have bothered me.” Jack said.

Spencer and Patrick laughed. “I like this kid. Whose child is he now?” Patrick asked.

“Hotch’s. My boss. His dad should be here soon.” Spencer looked over Patrick again. “I said we were meeting near the Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones rides, not to dress to fit in on the Indiana Jones and Jungle Cruise rides.”

“I just left from work. You know very well how I like people to dress when we are out on a dig.” Patrick said. Jack liked his clothing. It looked just like one of those people who went out and dug stuff up from under the ground or took people out to the jungle, with a vest with loads of pockets and pants with pockets and tan boots. The man even looked dusty. He had red brown hair that looked kinda like a lion as well. It matched his voice even if the rest of him didn’t.

Spencer laughed. “I know, I’ve got my whole set of gear in the small suitcase labeled ‘For Digs’ back home in my closet. Of course it hasn’t been used in two years…”

“And I can’t thank you enough for covering the dig for me for a full week of your vacation time so I could go take care of Stuart after his girlfriend died.”

“Anytime I can, you know that. I missed seeing you though. It’s been more than three and half years, I haven’t seen you since before I messed my leg up.”

“Is that what that funny squat was in the dig photos?”

“Yeah.” Spencer said.

“Spencer got shot. It was the same day Daddy was stabbed and me and my mommy had to leave, Auntie JJ said Spencer was shot and in surgery and that’s why he wasn’t there to say goodbye to me. But he saved the man’s life.” Jack added.

“Yeah.” Spencer said again, red faced again as well. “How about we look to see if Jack’s dad is about and then go get in line for the Jungle Cruise?” He got nods. “How are Stuart and Rosie?”

They looked around the front of the Jungle Cruise entrance but Hotch wasn’t there yet so they moved to stand in line. Spencer helped Jack get out his camera and got his own camera out of his bag so he had it ready while listening to his friend answer.

“Stuart’s fine, he is almost finished with a Master’s degree and has said he’s almost ready to start dating again.”

“That’s good. It must have been devastating for him to lose her in a wreck like that and yet survive it himself. Especially after what happened to your mom and dad. And Rosie?”

“Hush about Rosie, you’ll ruin the surprise. You’ll find out after 1:30. Keep that camera handy though, you’ll want pictures.”

Spencer rolled his eyes and Jack smiled. Patrick and Spencer leaned against each other and tucked each other’s hair behind each other’s ears as they talked. They talked mostly about Patrick’s work. Spencer didn’t ignore Jack though, even when the two adults were talking. He even noticed Jack tugging at his jacket.

“Hey, you too warm?” Spencer leaned down and asked, and Jack noticed his friend Patrick even smiled when Spencer did, instead of getting an annoyed face like Beth always did.

Jack shrugged. “Kinda.”

Spencer stood again and looked to the ride. “Let’s unzip your jacket, but leave it on over your arms for this ride. It’s on a boat in water and in the shade outside, so might be a bit cooler. Then when we get off I’ll help you take off your jacket and we’ll figure out what to do with it. Will that work?”

“I think so.” Jack answered.

Spencer unzipped Jack’s jacket and rearranged his bag so it wouldn’t pull at his jacket and be uncomfortable. Jack reached his hand into Spencer’s and Spencer was just fine with it. They walked in the line and it wove in and out of the bars and Patrick and Spencer took turns telling Jack about different Jungle areas. They took pictures, Patrick helping Jack as much as Spencer did. Patrick had even been to both India and along the Amazon River in Brazil. They talked about Patrick’s work too, and what he did in all the cool places he’d been to. The ride itself was brilliant because even though their tour guide in the front of the boat gave a good tour, Spencer and Patrick had set Jack right between them and whispered their own tour, telling Jack more about the ruins and natives and animals seen on the tour, as well as about how they were all robotic creations and a little about how they worked. Jack was certain Spencer would have gone on about that for a long time, but Patrick had nudged Spencer’s foot, which made him blush but only give an easy explanation of animatronics. Jack thought Spencer would really like to talk a lot about it, but he knew he wouldn’t have understood very much. Spencer had that excited look he gets when things really interest him. Patrick and Jack shared a smile about it.

Jack’s dad wasn’t waiting yet when they got off the cruise. Jack sighed.

“Well that just means we get to go do the tree house.” Spencer said brightly and grabbed both Jack’s and Patrick’s hands and dragged them off towards the tree house. Spencer fixed Jack’s jacket before they started climbing about, helping him take it off and then tying it securely about his waist.

Spencer gave a running commentary on Tarzan, and how the tree house used to be when it was the Swiss Family Robinson tree house and not the Tarzan tree house. It didn’t seem Patrick minded, and Jack didn’t mind. Both adults asked him about what he spotted in each scene and what he liked best in each scene, and they shared their opinions as well. Jack liked that they listened to him and when he spotted things that weren’t obvious they both praised him and Jack liked that a lot. Patrick even showed Jack hidden mickeys in the tree house, while Spencer grumbled that they were going to play with those on Spencer and Jack day and on Saturday. Jack laughed when Spencer whined, and he saw the smile Spencer and Patrick shared after he laughed too.

Hotch was waiting for them on the planter in front of the Jungle Cruise when they got there after finishing looking at the tree house, and it wasn’t even half past noon yet. His daddy was sitting on the edge and looking sad, with his head down in his hands.


	4. chapter 4

Hotch was waiting when they finished the tree house, a Hotch that could rival Eeyore for gloominess. His whole body seemed droopy. Spencer sighed. He hated seeing Hotch look so stressed. Jack saw his dad and looked at Spencer, who nodded, before running to him. 

“Daddy!” Jack shouted.

Hotch lifted his head and beamed as he saw Jack, kneeling down and opening his arms for Jack to run into. Spencer caught it on film. Patrick nudged Spencer with his shoulder.

“Later.” Spencer said. “Let’s go introduce you to my boss. Beware, I said I dated you in college and he nearly flipped out. Probably would have if I hadn’t been yelling at him at the time.”

“You did explain you were seventeen at the time, right?”

“I did. It might have helped a little.”

The two men walked over to where the Hotchners were sitting. Jack was talking a mile a minute telling his dad all about his morning so far, what they’d seen and done; meeting the Mad Hatter and Alice while walking into the park, going to Toontown and seeing Pluto and riding the Roger Rabbit ride and the go coaster and spending time in the other buildings; riding the train once all the way around and seeing the dinosaurs and the getting off at Main Street and walking through Main Street again and seeing Peter Pan and seeing Minnie and Mickey and Goofy in Halloween wear and Spencer getting pictures of the pumpkins and the Mickey Pumpkin and then sitting and sitting and Jimmy, Al and Lils; and then Indiana Jones which had to be gone on again with Daddy, and Patrick and the Jungle Cruise and the tree house and Hotch was looking sad again, even though he was smiling for Jack. Spencer bet he knew why.

“Hotch,” Spencer said as Jack panted for breathe after giving his run down of the morning. “You all right?”

“Have time to eat lunch with us before we get Jack and Daddy day underway?” Hotch asked. “You and your friend?”

Spencer looked to Patrick who nodded. “Sure. Hotch, this is Patrick O’Brian. Patrick, this is my boss, Aaron Hotchner. There are Kabobs not far from here.”

“Kabobs are fine.” Hotch said.

Lunch was good. Hotch was focused on Jack, and drilling Patrick about his time spent with Spencer, until Spencer , annoyed with the way the questioning had been going (Hotch trying to figure out how far the two went while dating) looked around where they were sitting, covered Jack’s ears with his hands and hissed very quietly “We kissed, we engaged in mutual masturbation, we rubbed against each other and we sucked each other off, naked. He did not penetrate me and I did not penetrate him. I was a virgin till I was twenty! Enough already! At one point we did do that, but not until I’d been rendered not a virgin by someone else, several times. Are we all good now?”

Watching Patrick and Hotch look each other in the eyes and start laughing uncontrollably made the embarrassment worth it, even after Jack asked why they were laughing and the two men laughed even harder leaving Spencer to tell Jack to ask again after puberty. 

That Hotch didn’t go back to looking sad for the rest of lunch made Spencer even more willing to face teasing and embarrassment for life. As everyone finished eating and Spencer cleaned up and stood to take the trash off to the garbage can Hotch stood and followed him.

“I just wanted to tell you thank you again,” Hotch said quietly. “How he was when he saw me when I got here today, that is what I’d been expecting. That’s what I wanted to know last night about yesterday. I still want to hear about yesterday like that, but I’m almost afraid to ask. I have a feeling that when he tells me about yesterday Beth won’t be mentioned much. We’ll look at his and your photos from yesterday tonight when we get back to the hotel, all right?”

“We will. Hotch, he might not talk about yesterday with you yet. He had a great time at the park, but before and after were a bit scary for him and he doesn’t know what to do about it. I don’t know what to do about it. We’ll talk about that later. The park closes at 8pm tonight. We can stay here till then and then go out to eat and talk as well. I’ll call you when I’m ready to meet up this evening.”

Jack and Patrick were waiting as Spencer and Hotch reached the table. Spencer leaned down and hugged Jack. “Be good and talk to your daddy. I’ll see you later. And enjoy Jack and Hotch day!”

Spencer handed Jack’s ticket to Hotch and waved as they went off together, Jack’s map out and directions being pointed. Spencer was very thankful for his camera being out still.


	5. chapter 5

Spencer and Patrick watched the Hotchners head off. “Is my surprise ready yet?” Spencer asked. Patrick looked at his watch. They pushed in all the chairs at the table they’d used and moved away from the restaurant. Spencer settled his camera strap better around his neck.

“It should be about ready by the time we get there.”

Soon Spencer found himself in the line for the fairies, again. “I was here yesterday. I have all the fairy autographs.” Spencer said.

Patrick laughed. “We are technically not here for an autograph. We are here to see a pixie.”

As people got in line behind them Spencer commented, “We are so going to get weird looks. At least yesterday I was here with girls.”

“It’ll be fine. You want to stay in this park when we are done here?” Patrick asked.

“Not necessarily. What time do you have to leave?”

“I teach a class from 6pm till 9 pm, so probably about 4ish.” 

“Where do you want to go then?”

“Just to the other park. I want to do the boardwalk rides and then maybe hit Tower of Terror.”

Spencer laughed. “I approve. I haven’t done the boardwalk rides yet.”

“Want to give a short answer to what you’re doing here anyway? I checked after you called Sunday night and the roster says you’re still listed for a four day period at the dig in February, during what I’m assuming is vacation time. The line will take between twenty minutes to a half hour.” Patrick said.

“Technically, we are on what is called a working vacation. Garcia couldn’t get the schools to schedule their days for recruiting seminars any closer together, although Hotch covered three schools yesterday. Caltech on Friday asked for me specifically. I’m doing many different seminars though on Friday, not just the recruiting one with the LA FBI guy. It was cheaper really to send us both down from Monday through Saturday in the long run, offering us up for consults as well while we’re here than to do the back and forth thing. So we were here in the area for about a week. When they realized that, Jack’s Aunt Jess and Garcia, she’s our tech girl, thought it would be a great time for a family vacation. And at first they thought just Jack and Hotch. Probably for all of like ten minutes. You know somewhat what we do, it’s stressful and just not very family friendly. Anyway, Hotch has been dating this lady for about a year, and she keeps hinting to everyone around him and him that they should make it more serious. So the women then thought, what better way for her to spend time with Hotch and Jack…huge emphasis on the and… than make it a whole family vacation thing. I think Rossi would have been their first choice for companion, because Rossi and Hotch do tons of things together, but CalTech asked for me. So Garcia decided it wouldn’t hurt me to get the same package deal they got Hotch and family and for me to be here as a just in case.”

“A glorified nanny, huh?” Patrick asked. Spencer gave a small shrug and nod. Basically, that was what the plan had been, he guessed, except it was supposed to have been a glorified back-up, emergency only nanny.

“Well, essentially, yeah. When Hotch and Beth first planned it out, I didn’t show up attached with them much at all, but Jess and Garcia had a fit when they found that out. Well, at least in Beth’s version. I guess in Hotch’s version we were all together every day. Beth and Hotch decided when comparing the two versions that neither would work nor make everyone happy, though. From comments Garcia made though, I don’t think Beth’s version took into account Jack either, but I don’t know what she thought they were going to do with him. Anyway, Garcia was afraid I’d feel left out and sad and be bored and Jess was just mad about the insensitivity of it all. So Garcia and Jess took over with Hotch’s help and the second original itinerary had Monday a whole crew day, Tuesday Jack and Beth so they could get to know each other with me as emergency back-up. Today was supposed to be Daddy and Son day, the girls giving Beth a spa day as a reward for giving her time to Jack the day before. Tomorrow will be me and Jack, giving Hotch and Beth a day to do couple things and then Friday was set aside for their little family. Everyone agreed to it and they planned a basic idea from that.”

“Hasn’t worked?”

Spencer laughed. “That woman has done her best to make the trip miserable for Jack. I can’t decide if I’m more upset than I was at about 10:15 this morning or just as upset. I am calmer in one sense, since Jack and Hotch day has commenced and I don’t have to look at Jack’s excruciatingly sad eyes anymore, but I got Jack to talk to me right before we met up with you, and it’s not good. Worse? I don’t know what to do about it. Seriously, I’m terrified for Friday night, Patrick. Hotch has to give a lecture from 6 to 9 at UCLA main campus and I’ve my final lectures at Caltech. At least Hocth’s speech tomorrow night is a) on Spencer and Jack day and b) a dinner speech to a conference of law enforcement personnel and basically in a hotel that’s like right across the street. Hotch could take a plus one, but Beth refused to go listen to boring speeches way back at the very start, so she’ll probably find something else to do. Of course she was ticked off because that starts at 4 in the afternoon, but this is work first and play second, supposedly.”

“Didn’t Jack and Beth spend yesterday together?” Patrick asked.

“Oh, I didn’t tell you that. So yesterday morning, not even five minutes after Hotch left, that woman called me and told me to come get Jack, insinuating she would leave him alone in the hotel room all day if I didn’t. Of course she denied it when I called her on it, but I’m a profiler, I notice the way things are said and notice hints. It wasn’t like it bugged me or anything to get Jack, I’d finished the consults on the cases I’d been asked to look at already that morning anyway, although I was in the shower and had to walk to their room wet and soapy to get him, but still, it was supposed to be Beth and Jack day. I had plans. Furthermore, the reason she is on the vacation as well is to get to know Jack and for him to get to know her. Not to mention I am pretty certain she did something to him before I got there, he said she didn’t hurt him but she scared him and Jack…well Jack is not a child who scares easily. Not at all. She called yesterday afternoon and said to keep him out late and to feed him or he wouldn’t get dinner so we went to the last showing of Aladdin and then ate after leaving the park when it closed. And then I managed to get him to tell me why he was so upset this morning, other than his daddy ditching him at Beth’s say so. She threatened him last night as well, after he got back. Told him not to tell his dad that he didn’t spend the day with her.”

“Is this a new thing?” Patrick asked. He could certainly understand why Spencer was agitated. Spencer hated children being harmed or scared or even just sad. As long as Patrick had known him, Spencer always had. He knew Spencer considered himself horrid with children, but in all Patrick’s experience that was always fixed within about a half hour.

“Jack told me of another example, and I know of several more. They invite her to dinner or to go to the movies and she refuses to go with them both and then often ends up convincing Hotch to just take her out instead. Jack called each of us on the team and Beth individually, with his aunt’s help, to come to his last soccer game of the season and to a potluck dinner afterwards. Beth told him no, but quickly agreed when Hotch asked her. Hotch got on Jack’s case for not inviting her himself, like he did the rest of us. Rossi and Morgan convinced Jess to not tell Hotch that Jack had, insisting Hotch needed a good woman in his life to make him happy and not to let such a little thing ruin it. He isn’t though, happy.”

“Spencer, is there something you’d like to tell me?” Patrick asked.

Spencer blushed bright red and started sputtering for a few minutes before he could speak again, while Patrick laughed. Finally Spencer got his speech together again.

“It’s not like that; at least I don’t think so. I mean I don’t think of Hotch like that too much, more like just a crush. Like I think of Lila sometimes, or Austin, or your co-worker Rory, man that guy has a nice form. Or the owner of the bookstore just two blocks down from my house. You should see him Patrick, he is just about the cutest thing ever. He’s got these hazel eyes with the deepest green in them and the most wonderful hair and his arm muscles ripple when he shelves books and a swimmer body and… Or that dad of those three kids from earlier, he was good looking. But anyway, you got me all distracted! It’s just, I hate watching this, you know? Jack has lost his mom already, and he doesn’t need this.”

Patrick leaned against Spencer. “I was just teasing. And seriously, even if there was something to tell, he seems a nice guy and I’d approve. Maybe you can talk to him and bring him to his senses still. Now, let’s ask Cora if my surprise is ready yet.”

“Who’s Cora?” Spencer asked.

The Disney Cast Member managing the front of Pixie Hallow giggled. “I am. Hey, Patrick. You’ve got about ten minutes before the shift change, did you guys want to be the last in before then?”

“Yes, Ma’am. It won’t work any other way.”

“How about we let about two or three more groups go through then?”

“That would be perfect, Cora.” Patrick said. “Spencer why don’t you go put your camera to use, I’ll keep your place and I’m sure people will let you move back and forth if you decide you need to. There are hidden pixies tucked about all over the place around here.”

Cora walked the group of three little girls who were standing behind them into the pixie hallow. The family after that consisted of just one little girl and then another set of three, but the final set were very obviously sisters. Spencer was back from his pixie hunt when Cora was getting ready to take the third group back. Spencer had to smile when Cora said she thought he’d found them all when he listed the ones he’d captured.

“Any autograph books you’d like signed? I could take that forward with the group.”

“I think I got all them yesterday but here is my book anyway,” Spencer said, pulling out the pink princess autograph book. Cora looked in it and then handed her hand out again. “Both I think, you’ll just have double signatures for some. Is there a photo card that goes with it?”

Spencer handed her the books and the card and Cora took them back with the sisters. She was back quickly. Cora smiled as she ushered Patrick and Spencer around the corner. An orange colored pixie sat on a spool table getting her picture taken. She tilted her head up and Spencer’s jaw dropped. The girls ushered in before them were just leaving.

“Not Possible! Rosie!”

The middle girl turned around and ran back. “That’s not Rosetta. That’s Fawn. Honestly, how stupid can you get?”

The pixie started to laugh, and Cora started to laugh. The photographer was laughing, while snapping a shot of the pixie laughing while on the table. Even Patrick only lasted about two seconds when he looked at Spencer’s stunned face. He grabbed Spencer’s camera while Spencer was still.

“Candice, stop antagonizing other people and get here now or you will Not get your picture taken with Tinker Bell,” a voice shouted from the next section. The blond child shouted “Mom!” and turned about to run off with a wave.

The photographer handed Cora back the autograph books and pointed to her camera. “I’ve your card set if you’d like to head over there.”

Spencer turned back and the pixie was smirking. “Rosie, is that you?”

The pixie stood up. “Yep.”

“No way. That last time I saw you…”

“I was fourteen and had braces and acne and it was five years ago Spencer!”

Rosie ran to Spencer and gave him a hug and Spencer lifted her high enough to twirl her around. The photographer was snapping shots the whole time.

“Are you going to work here at Disneyland for a while?” Spencer asked, waving Cora over with the autograph books. 

“I signed the pink one, which I assumed wasn’t your actual book. Now give me yours!” Rosie demanded. Spencer quickly handed his own book to her, which Rosie signed as “Your sweetest little pixie sister, Rosie Fawn”.

“So?” Spencer asked.

Rosie scrunched her nose up. “Three of the professors I want to take the rest of my classes from are out on sabbatical. Three of them! I’m taking just enough credits to tide me over, finishing core credits, for the next year. I love this job, so here I am. It’s not like I need a job that pays more right now.”

“Well, I think it’s a wonderful job for you. You always were my little pixie.” Spencer said. “Although I cannot believe you are old enough to work here.” Spencer turned to Patrick. “Patrick. I’m old.”

Everyone laughed again. Spencer retrieved his camera and shot pictures of the siblings together and goofing off. Spencer even made Cora and the photographer stand with Rosie for pictures. Then they took pictures together and Rosie followed the guys to the next room as the other pixie came to take her place, after introducing Rosetta the pixie to Rosie’s big brother and her best big brother substitute, who was according to Rosie “an even better big brother than Patrick”.

Spencer ended up with double Rosetta, Fawn, Tinker Bell and Vidia signatures, and added Terrance to his books. He was glad he’d caught Silvermist and Iradessa the day before. They left Rosie with hugs and kisses to the cheek and headed out.

“A good surprise?” Patrick asked.

Spencer beamed. “One of the best. I still cannot believe she is old enough to work here. I still see her as the little terror I watched after your parent’s car crash. She was not an easy seven year old.”

Patrick laughed. “It was almost 12 years ago.”

“Where did the time go?” Spencer said, shaking his head. “How’s your dad?”

“Good now. He took it hard after mom died, but she was never out of pain after the accident and so I usually just think her passing was for the best. She’d lived almost seven years in constant pain, it hurt to see her like that.”

Spencer just nodded. “I understand.”

Patrick slung his arm around Spencer as they walked to towards the other park. “I know you do. How is your mom?”

“There are good days and bad days. I try to call at least once a week, but I only go to visit once a year. I stop in if we are in Vegas, but I can only do once a year as a plan. I’m a horrible son.”

“Do you still write her every day?”

“Of course, unless I can’t.”

“Then you are a good son, Spencer. You communicate more with her than I do with my dad or my brother.”

“But…”

“Is she or is she not somewhere good for her?” Patrick asked.

“They do take good care of her there.”

“Better than you could?”

Spencer nodded. “She has a really good doctor. He’s been wonderful at keeping her medicated but not overly medicated.”

“See. Now let’s just go have fun for the rest of the time I can stay. I’ll buy you a pin or two. Oh, and speaking of pins…” Patrick pulled a small baggy of pins out of his jacket pocket and handed them to Spencer.

Spencer laughed. “I want either one of Fawn or one of the rides we are heading to now and what are those?”

“Deal, and those are more recent trader pins. Rosie and I got together a bunch of our extras from different things. You can use them here or at conventions later.”

“Perfect! I wanted to see if Jack wanted to learn to trade but didn’t think to bring a whole bunch of extras with me.”

“Which ones are on you now?” Patrick asked.

“A fellow pin trader got rid of all his Stitch pins, his new wife hates the character. He traded them all for the Zions National Park and Craters of the Moon park pins. I keep a few for him, ones which fill sets he has complete when they are with them, so when he gets his safe deposit box going he can move the sets to the box whole, but he hasn’t managed that yet. Then I kept a few, ones to complete collections and such, but he had doubles and triples of some and a lot were already doubles for me.”

“Nice.”

Spencer relaxed as Patrick dragged him onto every single ride open on the Paradise Pier. Spencer marked the Toy Story ride and Goofy’s flight school as two to come back and do with Jack and he felt ridiculous on the carousel with just Patrick, although he loved the theme. They met Duffy the bear and got autographs and pictures taken. They even managed the river run and Tower of Terror twice, before Patrick had to head out to make it to his class on time. In that time, Patrick had convinced Spencer to find a way to get Hotch to join Jack and him for Fantasmic the next night.

Spencer decided to hit the Disney Animation building before heading back to Jack and Hotch, but called them as he walked from the tower there. Hotch sounded like he’d relaxed a bit and was having fun and Spencer agreed to meet them at six by It’s a Small World. Then he called the officer he’d sent his latest consult to, just that morning before they went to the park, and asked about the timing of the next night’s conference dinner where Hotch was supposed to be speaking. Spencer went to the Disney animation building and enjoyed the next forty minute or so there, hitting the character greetings just right in between his Animation Academy lesson and exploring the Sorcerer’s Workshop, both which he really enjoyed and Turtle talk with Crush which was interesting but not fascinating and didn’t have the hands on to make up for it in his opinion-no drawing. He’d seen and had his photo taken with Stitch, Woody and Buzz, Vacation clad Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Max (who Spencer hadn’t even been aware existed, apparently Goofy movies were in his horizon) and Chip and Dale. He headed out and did some shopping on his way to meet up with Hotch and Jack, hitting the Christmas Ornament store in New Orleans Square because he liked it best and the shop attached to the Star Tours ride, picking up his Christmas gifts for Jack, Henry, himself and Garcia (after all who wouldn’t love Star Wars Potato heads). He found a Star Wars lanyard starter set he bought as well. On the way between he’d even managed to see and get pictures with Cruella Devil and Malificent. They’d seen and had pictures with Snow White’s evil step-mother the day before while waiting in the Dumbo line, and had pictures taken with Captain Hook and Smeede while in the tea cup line, and taken pictures with Cinderella’s step-mother and step- sisters right after seeing the princesses, so Spencer figured his villains characters were almost complete as well. He still needed to see Alice’s queen, though.

Jack and Hotch were easy to find. They had good parade seats and good Magic Memories and You seats. They were snacking and looking like they’d had a fun day together. Jack got up and ran towards Spencer as soon as he saw him.

“Spencer!” Jack shouted, hopping from one foot to the next while Spencer lowered bags and offered his arms for a hug. “Daddy and me day turned out fun, Spencer. It did. But he wants to know about yesterday and see yesterday’s photos and Beth is gonna be soo mad Spencer cause I want to tell him all about it.”

“We’ll do it together, and then Beth can be mad at me if she insists on being mad at someone, how’s that sound?” Spencer asked.

Jack smiled and nodded. “Can I see what you got?” Jack said pointing to the bags.

Spencer laughed. “Not all of it. But you can help me sort some stuff. Some of it is Christmas though. Let’s go sit by your dad and we’ll look.”

“Christmas? Already?”

Spencer laughed. “Jack, I save for Christmas all year and then buy what I think you and Henry or others on the team would like when I see it, that way I don’t worry too much about it when December comes around and can enjoy the season more.”

They had reached Hotch as Spencer finished speaking. “Can I look at least?” Hotch asked.

Spencer nodded and handed the large sacks to Hotch. “Some are mine, of course.”

Hotch started to laugh as he peeked in the bags, “Of course they are.”

“What can I look in?” Jack asked.

Spencer set the bags holding the ornaments down. “You can help me pick who gets what. I have ornaments for each team member and then you and Henry, one for my mom and a few for me.”

“Do you even have a Christmas tree?” Jack asked.

Spencer laughed. “Not usually, but I like Christmas Ornaments and try to buy a few special ones each year. I usually buy my mom one from someplace cool we went or were near. The place where she stays puts up trees and then hangs ornaments in high places where everyone can enjoy them, tagged by the patient’s name. She enjoys the comments people give her through the season. I put mine on my shelves.”

“That explains so much.” Hotch muttered.

“Hey, I notice Morgan buys trinkets when we’re in unusual places too. And you.” Spencer said.

Hotch laughed. “All right, you’ve caught me. I guess we just never expected you to do the same thing.”

“No one expects a lot of things from me.” Spencer said, unwrapping ornaments “We have some princess ones, some Mickey ones, some with the year on them and some Buzz Lightyear ones.”

Jack giggled. “Are you going to keep a princess one? I bet that makes this trip to Disneyland memorable.”

Hotch looked confused as Spencer blushed. “Um, probably not. I thought Princess ones for Garcia and my mom and Emily and the other girls.”

“Do you have nice classy ones?” Hotch asked.

“Rossi and my non year ornament are covered, classy and not too sparkly.” Spencer said, setting aside two packages. He set aside a third wrapped package. “And that is my dated ball. Would Morgan like Mickey or Buzz Lightyear?”

“Buzz Lightyear,” said Jack. Spencer unwrapped the Buzz ornaments and Jack picked out one of the three for Morgan, one for himself and one for Henry.

Jack and Spencer agreed on the dated ornaments for Hotch and for JJ and Will, and one that had Mickey and Minnie together for Prentiss and a Minnie mouse one for Alex Blake. The one with all the princesses together went to Garcia and Jack insisted the Belle went to his mom because even Jack knew his mom liked books.

“Now we should pick out one for Beth,” Spencer said. Jack sighed and between him and Spencer they finally decided on one with Tinker Bell. There were four ornaments left and Jack asked why. “So we had choices. I’ll give one to your Aunt and one to Strauss, probably. The others I’ll keep.” 

Jack laughed. “You need to keep Snow White. I think she kissed you best! Aunt Jess might like the Cinderella one.”

Hotch’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, come now. I am certainly missing something here. Care to share?”

Jack quieted down and started to look nervous. Spencer found his pen and wrote on the outside of all the wrapping which ornaments went to who. “We have about half an hour till the parade starts, anyone want a snack?”

“Or we could start talking?” Hotch said.

Spencer looked at Jack, who didn’t look so sure.

“Or Jack could tell me all about Daddy and Jack day.” Spencer said. “That way we all will be able to enjoy the rest of the evening and we could talk over dinner.”

Hotch sighed but agreed, and Jack told Spencer about his day.


	6. chapter 6

Jack pulled out his map, and tugged his daddy’s hand to get him to follow along. Lunch with Spencer and his friend had been fun. Jack liked Spencer’s friends. He wondered about the ones Spencer was hiding back home if the friends he had out here were so cool. Jack was sure Spencer had some back home too, even though Uncle Dave and Derek always said Spencer was boring and didn’t do anything.

“So, Buddy,” Aaron asked. “Where are we off to?”

Jack pointed out the rides on the side of the park they were on. “These first, and I’m big enough to go on all of them and they won’t be scary. We can get fast passes for some and then do the longer lines while we wait till it’s our fast pass time.” 

Aaron looked at Jack’s map, with the space by the attraction’s title marked with M, T, or W, and with some circled or with a box around them or a star by them. Jack had smiley faces by some and a few had scribbled out frowns by them. Off on the edge was written some numbers.

“What’s your map tell me?” Aaron asked.

Jack smiled. “See, the ones with an M are the rides we rode Monday, and the ones with a T are the rides from yesterday, and the ones with a W are the ones we went on today. The ones with a circle are ones to do on daddy and Jack day, and the ones with a square are for with Spencer tomorrow. Spencer says we’ll mark tomorrow’s with an H because we already used a T. Smileys are my favorites and the stars are where something cool happened, even if it wasn’t a favorite.”

“And what were the frowns?” Aaron asked.

Jack just looked at him, blinking. Aaron sighed and decided to go another route with the conversation.

“I see you covered fantasyland yesterday.”

“And we went to Tom Sawyer’s island and rode the Pooh Bear ride, and stood a lot in lines. Spencer says we’ll do Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain railroad, but I want to do those two with you too.”

“What else did you do yesterday?”

“I had fun. Decide which rides you want a fast pass for, Daddy.”

“How about we go get one for Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain railroad, and then work our way up that direction from here when we get them?”

Jack smiled and told his daddy about riding on the Jungle Cruise with Spencer and Patrick and picking out gifts for Henry. Aaron picked up the fast passes and the two headed back to stand in line for Indiana Jones. They decided to ride the Jungle Cruise before Indiana Jones so Jack could show Hotch the best parts. Aaron would ask Jack about the day before, and Jack would answer “I had fun” and not much else. A few times he got more of an answer, like as they walked from Indiana Jones to Haunted mansion and Jack wanted to get photos of the River Boat, which they had ridden on Monday, the sailing ship which Jack found out was used in one of the shows from someone, and Tom Sawyer’s Island from the banks, because he didn’t get any the day before but had plenty from on the island, and on the raft ride over.

They took plenty of photos going towards the Haunted Mansion and enjoyed the ride, Aaron even taking a few from inside the ride for Garcia and then they headed to Splash mountain, getting there just after the time on the fast pass. They both had fun on that ride as well and they didn’t even get that wet. Aaron tried to ask about the day before more and heard about having to spend a longer time than usual in the line for Pooh Bear because some kid about six families before them threw-up all over both Pooh Bear and Tigger, so they got to see Eeyore and Piglet (and people almost never get to see Piglet, but it was an emergency the Disney Cast Member said) and then Pooh and Tigger after they’d been cleaned (but Jack never said who he was with, or even gave any clues).

The walk to Thunder Mountain Railroad provided Aaron with no more clues to Jack’s day the day before, either. Jack talked about Monday activities (Hotch found out what Jack had eaten for lunch, which he had not been aware of and that Spencer liked pins and started Jack’s collection, which explained where the ones on Jack’s lanyard had come from.), he talked about his plans with Spencer for the next day (including Star Wars because Jack liked it even if no one else but him and Spencer did), and he even talked about what to get his school teacher as a souvenir (they decided magnets that could be used at the school), he just avoid anything dealing with the day before. The ride itself was great. Then they took the back walk past the Ranch, which was closed but was all decorated for fall (Jack took photos and Aaron took photos of Jack by it all) and towards Fantasyland. Jack made his dad go on Dumbo and the Teacups, and the Peter Pan ride and they squeezed in Mr. Toad’s ride, the Alice in Wonderland ride, and the Snow White ride and they hit the Matterhorn and It’s a Small World. (“Did you enjoy these rides especially yesterday, Jack?”… “They were fun.” “Were one of these rides the best part of yesterday, Jack?” Shrug. “Look Daddy; see the cool clock on the side of the building.” Aaron wished he could say his child hadn’t learned how to avoid topics from him.) The closest Hotch got to finding out more about the day before in Fantasyland was a shared tidbit about the card doors in the restrooms and that the girls’ restroom had heart tiles but the boys didn’t (Which might need explained more at some point, what had Jack been doing in the girls’ restroom?). They were done with that at about 4:30, so Jack declared they had enough time to go see Mickey Mouse at his house. Jack and Aaron got pictures taken with Mickey Mouse and were able to find seats that would be good for the parade and for the show afterwards. Aaron was trying to figure out how to get Jack to talk about the day before more than “I had fun” when they saw Spencer loaded down with bags. Jack looked at his dad and Aaron nodded. Jack took off running to Spencer and Aaron wondered when that had happened. He’d always thought Jack was closer to Derek than Spencer. Spencer leaned down and hugged the boy, Jack’s eyes shining and excited and both totally at ease. Memories flashed past in Aaron’s mind and Aaron realized that that had been occurring long before they’d come to Disneyland, maybe even close to two years and asked himself how he had not paid attention to it before.

Jack was very relieved when he saw Spencer. Spencer was back and his daddy would stop asking questions and if he didn’t Spencer would know what to do and what to say. 

“Spencer! Daddy and me day turned out fun, Spencer. It did. But he wants to know about yesterday and see yesterday’s photos and Beth is gonna be soo mad Spencer cause I want to tell him all about it.”

Spencer of course knew how to fix it and Jack just knew that if they did things the way Spencer said, it would be all right, even if he did not want Beth mad at Spencer. He was certain she would hurt him.

Going through the ornaments was fun too. He liked being able to pick out things to give to people. He liked that Spencer decided to wait to talk about their day together the day before until dinner. Jack pulled out his list and wrote down he wanted more ornaments before they left. Then he had Spencer help him fill out his map and told Spencer all about Jack and Daddy day. Jack looked at Spencer’s maps and made sure he filled them out too. Spencer told Jack about the animation studio and meeting Max, who he didn’t even know existed. They talked about hidden Mickey’s and Spencer was going to write out a list, unless he could find someplace to print out the check lists. They discussed what they still needed to see, and Spencer told Hotch that he and Jack needed to go to the Paradise Pier on Friday and at least ride the Toy Story ride since they’d enjoyed the Buzz Lightyear one so well. Jack told his dad he needed to do Tower of Terror with him. Everyone agreed that Monday’s ride on the Ariel ride was enough, unless Beth wanted to do it again. Friday was when the Hotchner’s and Beth planned to spend more time at the California Adventure park, even though they’d been there some on Monday evening (where they’d managed the Little Mermaid ride, Muppets, Monsters Inc., and Soaring over California before watching Worlds of Color.)


	7. chapter 7

Spencer left well enough alone till almost parade time, helping Jack avoid discussing the day before with Hotch by focusing attentions elsewhere. Talking about what still needed to be done and seen, and when it would be seen was a good distraction, although he could tell he wasn’t the only one trying not to make comments that could be seen as anti-Beth sometimes. More than once Spencer knew Jack had just stopped himself from saying that his dad needed to enjoy rides with him that’d he’d gone on even if Beth didn’t think he should. Not to mention how Jack had gone silent when he was asked when he’d gone on some of them or to things. Spencer stopped himself from pointing out all the rides at the Pier would be fun even though Beth hadn’t really approved them as they saw them on Monday.

As the sounds of the Parade came though, Spencer decided not to hold back too much. Spencer turned to Hotch and Jack. “I know how you can make up for lost time. Tomorrow night is Fantasmic. My sources say it is phenomenal. As soon as your speech and dinner are over, come join Jack and me and watch with us. Beth could join us as well. You both owe Jack and I the time. I know the Dinner part is over at 6ish, and I also know you don’t have to stay for the second round of speeches.”

“Well, I should ask Beth about it,” Hotch said.

“Why? She didn’t ask us. If you have to ask her to take time from your day together, ought not she to have asked Jack’s permission first as well? Besides, technically, the only reason I know the timing of tomorrow night is because I have been the one doing consults with the locals, and it was through them I know you don’t have to stay till the whole evening is over. The time you would be giving us is given to us not from Beth, but from the conference. I asked for the time off for you if you choose to use it for us, otherwise you should still be there at the conference. Is she planning on you skipping your work as well?”

“Of course, she wouldn’t.” Hotch said. Hotch went to say something else, but Jack saw the front of the parade and everything was focused on the parade, taking pictures, and just enjoyment. Spencer moved off far enough to get photos of Jack and Hotch watching it together. He hoped that he had stated his case well enough to make Hotch think about what he’d asked, especially when they got around to talking at dinner and afterwards. Spencer let himself relax into enjoying the parade. Between the parade and the show, the group spent their time talking about their favorite parts of the parade. Jack made one comment about Aladdin which drew his dad’s attention, since his dad hadn’t realized he’d seen it yet, but other than that attention remained focused on neutral topics. The show screened against the It’s a Small World attraction was pretty cool, Spencer had to admit. He enjoyed the cascading colors and the part where it looked like a sword fight best, personally, although two sections made him think about the fact that he’d heard about books that took place in the park and maybe he ought to find and read them the next time he needed a break.

As they walked out the park, Spencer stopped long enough to hit a pin store, mostly to stall a bit longer as he mentally tried to organize all his points he wanted made throughout the rest of the evening and make a mental check list so he was sure none were missed. Patrick had been able to find a Fawn pin and had bought a pin of the Pier, so Spencer added a pin of Mickey in Jungle Gear for himself. Jack found a set of the Nightmare before Christmas characters. Spencer added other sets of pins; a Disney Parks Adventure and cupcake pins (two sets each…one for him to keep/trade and one to break up throughout for the souvenirs). When the lady at the pins store reminded him if he bought over a certain amount he could get a mystery pouch dollar pin, Spencer split his purchases and bought his and the ones for souvenirs separate, and then helped Jack buy the Nightmare Before Christmas sets, so they could get one with Jack.

“Why are you doing it that way?” Hotch asked.

“I’m setting up souvenirs for them team and need pins to fill them out,” Spencer explained.

“You’re passing your obsession to all of us, you mean?”

Spencer laughed. “Hopefully. It would make my trading life easier once I was back home.” 

“You know, you can buy hidden mickey pouches, too. They’d be the ones you’d trade with cast members, but you don’t have to worry about finding cast members. I still have to do a two trade type limit, though,” the lady selling them the pins said. “They run about five a pouch.”

“Let me get those, then too.” Spencer said.

“As long as they are separate purchases, it’s a two per thing, so remember that if you plan on buying more pins, and always remember to get your one dollar pin if you qualify. That’s a great way to build up pins to trade with.”

“I came prepared with some,” Spencer said. “But I haven’t had much time to put towards trading.”

They got the Hidden Mickey pouches, and headed out of the pins store but saw hats.

Still stalling, Spencer asked Jack if they wanted to buy ears that evening or the next day and wear them all day. Jack chose to buy ears that evening. Spencer talked Hotch into getting ears for him and Beth. Jack picked Goofy ears, while Hotch picked out red based Mickey and Minnie ears for himself and Beth. Spencer went with Wizard Mickey ears for himself and Hugs and Kisses Minnie ears for Garcia and Aunt Jess and then even bought himself a Mad Hatter hat. By the time they’d finished up there, Spencer had his mental check list of what needed to be brought up before Jack and Hotch went off to bed.

“My room for dinner as well? Or dinner and then my room for photo show?” Spencer said.

“Dinner there as well. We’ll pick up fast food.” Hotch said.

“That works. Dinner last night was a sit down thing and lunch was good.”

Bags with burgers and fries procured, Spencer let everyone into his room and settled his laptop and the food onto the small table. He started eating as the laptop started and listened to Hotch and Jack as they discussed what Jack wanted to buy still.

Spencer took out the card from his camera, and downloaded the photos from it. Then he asked how Jack wanted his dad to look at his photos from the day before. Spencer assured Jack none of the pictures would leave his card, just a copy went onto the computer, and then he downloaded Jack’s camera card as well. As soon as Hotch was done with his burger, Hotch started asking questions.

His first question, “What did you do yesterday, Jack?” only received a “You saw my map didn’t you, and I told you some. I had fun.”

Spencer looked at Jack and said, “Remember what I said and what we talked about?”

“But Spencer…” Jack started to protest.

“Jack. It will be all right. You’ll see.” Spencer said.

“All right.” Jack looked at his dad again, and Hotch took it as a sign to ask questions again.

“Well then, where did you go yesterday?” Hotch asked.

Jack hadn’t warmed up to the idea quite yet so he started with “We went to Fantasyland and we rode all the rides there and we went to Tom Sawyers Island and we went on the Pooh Bear ride” and by the time he got to the Pooh Bear ride he was warming up to telling his daddy about his day, so he finished with “and we went to see princesses and fairies and Mickey and Minnie in their houses and we saw evil Step-mothers and step-sisters and Captain Hook and his friend in the stripy shirt and Pooh Bear and Tigger got thrown-up on so we got to see Eeyore and Piglet and then clean Pooh Bear and Tigger and the colors in the Pooh Bear ride made Spencer dizzy and it was soo funny.”

Hotch smiled as Jack got more excited. “Spencer got dizzy huh? Did you meet anyone?”

“We met all the characters. Is that what you mean?” Jack asked, but instead of letting Hotch answer Jack smiled and answered himself. “We also met up with Spencer’s friend Ian. Did you know that Ian looks just like Spencer only older? They look more like brothers than you and Uncle Sean do, and they are not even related. Ian said he made Spencer pretend to be his brother Oliver so he could date this girl Claire, who had a sister named Jo-Jo and….Spencer what was her other sister’s name?”

“We called her Ellie, I think her name might have been Eleanor, but I don’t know for sure. Jo-Jo’s name was Jordan Josephina and she was a bit wild, so Claire often yelled her full name, but she never had to yell Ellie’s full name so I don’t think I ever knew it.”

“My friend Jordan is a boy.” Jack said.

“Yes, well, Jordan is one of those names which can be both a boy’s name and a girl’s name.” Spencer said. 

“That’s cool.” Jack replied.

“So you spent some of your day with Spencer and his friend then?” Hotch asked.

Jack took a deep breath and sat up straighter in his chair. His also gripped the edge of the table and then looked his dad right in the eyes. “I spent all day with Spencer yesterday. He fed me breakfast and lunch and dinner. I spent it with Ian and his girls Ruby and Jade and their friend Kimi.”

“All day?”

“All day. Spencer came to get me after Beth called him, right after you left. He left his shower to come get me, dad. He was still wet and soapy when he got to our room and I had to go before I even was able to put my shoes on.”

Hotch’s face turned stony and hard looking. “What happened after Spencer got you?” He asked.

Jack smiled. “He got his computer set up so I could look at the pictures he took on Monday. He got some really good ones, Dad. Then while I was looking he finished his shower, but he left the door open enough to hear me and for me to hear him and he was really quick. After he got dressed we ate breakfast and then went to the park, but I wasn’t happy. And then Spencer talked to me and I was able to have fun and be happy the whole day and Ian and his girls were all nice to me and didn’t mind at all that I was with Spencer; they didn’t mind sharing at all, none of them. And even though they were girls, they liked Space Mountain and the Matterhorn and Tom Sawyer’s Island. Ian said if we hadn’t had Kimi we would have skipped seeing the Princesses, but we did have Kimi.”

“Did you meet up with Ian and his girls right at the start?” Hotch asked.

Spencer answered. “We rode Pinocchio before I talked to Jack and then we decided to go to the Innoventions attraction and we rode the Astro Blasters and Buzz Lightyear again, and then we wandered along main street looking at shops and such till it was time to meet Ian and the girls. I almost dragged him to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, but I’d already dragged him through Innoventions.”

“We did Pinocchio again when Ian got to the park, but not the others. We stood in line for the princesses and the fairies and to see Mickey and Minnie in their houses and finally to see Pooh Bear. Luckily the rest we saw while we were in line at other things or while we were walking places. And then we stood in line to watch Aladdin for what seemed forever. But before Aladdin we went on the Tower of Terror and it was so cool. And we stopped at the pin shop and Spencer bought some pins and had me pick out one. Spencer says we might do the Bugs Life part tomorrow, after we do Star Wars and Jedi Training.”

“It sounds like you had a full day, what time did you get back to the hotel room?” Hotch asked.

“Maybe ten minutes before you got back,” Jack answered. “I got myself cleaned up and ready for bed but didn’t have time to fall asleep yet before you were there. We had dinner here at the hotel restaurant before coming up to go to bed. We had pastas.”

“Got yourself cleaned-up, huh?” Hotch asked. Jack nodded. “Shower?”

“No, used a wash cloth. And I brushed my teeth but I couldn’t find the floss. Beth said I could only use the bathroom in the front room, with the toilet and sink.”

“Well then, tonight it’s a shower and flossing for sure.”

Hotch’s next question nearly made Spencer laugh, because he realized Hotch had asked the questions Spencer had told him to and pretty much in the order he said them on the phone earlier.

“So, Jack, what was your favorite part of yesterday?”

Jack thought for a few minutes. “I liked when Spencer measured me and marked down my height. He used a note tablet that was 11 inches tall and we added to figure out how tall I was and then we looked on our map and I can go on all of the rides. And I liked when Ian and Spencer kneeled in front of each of us and asked if Space Mountain was going to be too scary and talked to us about how it worked, and it was scary but not nearly too scary, just scary enough to be fun. So was Tower of Terror. And watching Aladdin as a play was cool, but my all-time favorite part of yesterday was seeing the princesses.”

“Seeing the princesses?” Hotch asked.

“Well, seeing the princesses all kiss Spencer!” Jack said, and then collapsed into giggles.

“And it was worth it for that.” Spencer said, watching Jack giggle.

“A princess kissed you?” Hotch asked.

Spencer knew he was blushing bright red. “Umm…yeah.”

“All the princesses, Dad.” Jack managed through the giggles. “But Snow White kissed him right at the edge of his mouth and not on his cheek and Mulan kissed him like ten times all over his face and also hit his mouth but I don’t think she meant to really and Jasmine rubbed their noses together and Belle kissed him, ruffled his hair and then kissed him again! All the others just kissed him once on the cheek after the first time the first six kissed him all together. Come to think of it, Snow White kissed the edge of your mouth then, too.”

Hotch just looked at Spencer. “Tinker Bell and Vidia kissed me as well, after Jade told them all the princesses had done so,” Spencer confessed. “And Silvermist kept petting my cheek, and no one even told her anything. The only character who kissed me today was Fawn, but that was really Rosie.”

“Your surprise?” Jack asked.

Spencer smiled. He so enjoyed that fact Jack paid attention to things around him and remember what had been said.

“Yes. Patrick’s surprise for me was Rosie working as Fawn. Rosie is his little sister, and when she was about your age I watched Rosie and their brother Stuart, who was almost ten, for a week after their parents had been in a car crash, until their aunt and uncle could get to LA and watch them. Patrick was at a special exchange program for school in Colorado, and couldn’t miss any more days because he’d skipped a full week to help me when I had to take my mom to where she lives now. The uncle and aunt weren’t the best care providers, though, so as a favor to Patrick I watched over them for the rest the time their Dad was in the hospital. Some days Rosie or Stuart would call and I’d go over to their home and watch them until one of their relatives came home, and sometimes I’d stay even after that. Like Patrick said back then, there was a reason his aunt and uncle had no kids of their own. Anyway, even after I left to MIT, I visited Patrick and his siblings every time I was down this way, and I was down here a lot. I might have taken my engineering PhD from MIT, but I started it at Caltech and it was a joint project that I got the PhD from.”

Hotch smiled. “That was good of you, Spencer.”

“No child should have to take care of themselves at that age, sorry. I knew that probably better than anyone else. Likewise though, I knew how to take care of others, so it wasn’t a big deal.”

“You want to see pictures, Daddy?” Jack asked.

Hotch nodded his head. “Are they ready Spencer?” Jack asked Spencer, not waiting for answer before he took Hotch’s hand and moved him so he could see the computer screen. “Ian helped me take pictures with my camera when Spencer was getting kisses, and the Disney Photo guy took pictures on Spencer’s card, and Spencer let Ian also use his camera, so we have lots of them.”

Hotch watched as Spencer showed him first Jack’s photos from the day before, and then Spencer’s own. Jack had been right; Ian did look just like an older Spencer. “How old were you when you knew Ian?” Hotch asked.

Spencer laughed. “Ian was the Residents Assistant for the floor of the dorm I lived in my first bit at Caltech. I was 14 and almost a half and he was finishing his master’s degree at twenty two. He really does have a brother named Oliver who I was nearly an exact replica of, but Oliver was already 15, so I lied about my age when I pretended to be him. The real Oliver took a yearlong excursion to Europe, spending about three months at a time in different European schools, so wasn’t around. Claire’s dad was …odd, that’s about the best term I can think of.”

Hotch looked at Spencer, so Spencer continued as Hotch and Jack went through the photos. They were having fun still and Spencer was willing to hang his youth out on the line to keep the fun going and avoid the whole open gaping wound that would have to be dealt with in a few moments.

“Claire’s dad would not let her date without taking her sister’s with her, even though Claire was almost twenty. You ever see the movie ‘10 Things I hate About You’, Hotch? Their dad was just like that, but more so. He was freaky.” Spencer said. “Their mom had died a year before after a long illness and then their dad moved them to the LA area, so Claire was willing to go along with it, at least for the rest of that school year. I was under strict orders to do more than study and go to classes and do academic things. How much I read was even monitored! It was the agreement by all involved in letting me attend so young. Ian wanted to date Claire, when he saw me move in he came up with the idea and it got me off campus doing approved activities. Ian would take me, calling me Oliver, and we’d go to the amusement parks, to malls, to the beaches, all over with Claire and her sisters. Her dad was happy, her sisters couldn’t complain, I had no complaints, and Ian was happy. The only one who didn’t like the plan was Ian’s mom; his dad even thought it was a hoot. His mom was afraid poor Oliver’s reputation would be tarnished somehow. Oliver didn’t care, we just made him a list of where we’d gone and called it in to him at the end of a week, just in case someone he knew saw us. I spent at least two days a month at Disneyland for like eight months, more for those summer months. Not to mention all the other parks and the beaches. Best part though; Claire’s sisters were nice to me. They were the first girls around my age to not torment me since I was like 7. Jo-Jo had a sense of humor that was stellar and it was also rather mature, so I got it and Ellie was simply just nice.”

“Did you want her for a girl friend?” Jack asked.

“Jack!” Hotch yelped. Spencer just answered.

“You know, I don’t think so. At first I was just trying to be near people my own age without alienating everyone, and then I was just stunned there were girls who were nice and didn’t live to torture other people, and by the time I got over those two topics, which took a while, by the way, I just thought of them as friends, and sometimes girls who I needed to protect from others.”

“Did you get into fights for them?” Jack asked.

Spencer laughed. “No. If other guys started making them nervous, I put myself between the girls and those other guys and then as soon as we could we took off for Ian and Claire. Unless it is intellectual, I’ve never been good with confrontation.”

Jack giggled.

Spencer could tell Hotch had reached the end of Tuesday’s pictures. “Monday’s photos?” he asked Spencer.

Spencer set it so he could look through Monday’s photos. “Spencer, did you have lots of friends who lived here?” Jack asked.

“I guess I did,” Spencer answered. “I made more friends here than I had at home in Vegas, anyway, so it seemed like lots to me.”

“Why?” Jack asked.

“Odd schooling situations, mostly, and I wasn’t good at physical things so I wasn’t really an asset to teams.”

“Did you play lots of sports?” Jack asked.

Spencer tilted his head. “My dad wanted me to be a good son, who played sports and who he could do those kind of things with. Not things like hiking or such, I might have been able to manage that, just competitive sports. I tried for a while until he stopped trying too. He coached T-ball and I played on his team for two years. I played the next level of baseball for a year. I played soccer for him two years, and took swimming lessons, and did martial arts, and played mini pee-wee football and mini pee-wee basketball and even mini pee-wee hockey but for only a week. He stopped signing me up for stuff when I was six-ish though. My mom didn’t stop her long list of things for me to do until about a year later. Mom made me continue with the swimming until I moved to California, though. I never did get really good at it.”

“Do you need to do all that to be a good son?” Jack asked.

“No. A good son is one who spends time with their dad and makes them happy in all aspects of life, not just one. They do their best and behave well; they treat others kindly and try to spread joy and not unneeded stress. Trust me, you are a good son, and so was I, my dad just couldn’t see that.”

Hotch, who’d been listening as he’d been looking at the photos from Monday, and then tossing it all to the wind and profiling Tuesday’s and Monday’s photos and coming to not so good conclusions, realized he needed to add in his voice.

“Jack, you are a completely wonderful son and I could never want for a better one.”

Jack relaxed and leaned up against his dad. “I love you, Daddy.”

Hotch smiled, but Spencer thought it looked a bit sad. “Sadly, buddy, you could probably do with a better daddy.”

Jack turned and hugged his dad. “I think you are a wonderful daddy.”

Spencer spoke up. “You are a million times better of a dad than mine was, even before he left.”

Hotch smiled a more happy smile. “How do you figure?”

Spencer smiled. “Your reaction when any member of your soccer team accidentally kicks the ball in the wrong goal.”

“You did that too?” Jack asked.

Spencer sighed a huge overly dramatic sigh. “At least once every season, sometimes once a game.”

Jack giggled.

Hotch looked at the computer again. Two pictures were showing, one from the day before with Jack smiling a huge smile as he and one of the little girls jumped off a bench and then one from Monday where Jack was standing, leaning against Hotch’s leg, trying to get his attention while Beth was directing his head her direction with her hand so his focus was on her. 

“Jack, would you like Spencer to find you a cartoon to watch for a bit?” Hotch asked.

Jack smiled and ran to sit up on the bed. Spencer looked at the computer screen again and quickly found a cartoon on the TV for Jack to watch. He turned it up louder than he’d usually let Jack listen to the TV and returned to sit next to Hotch.

“Where was Beth yesterday?” Hotch asked.

“I don’t know. She called and said she had a headache and couldn’t possibly take care of Jack at all. That she wanted to spend the day at the hotel relaxing in peace. She gave me five minutes to go get him. She refused any help for headaches or migraines that I offered, not politely either. She didn’t answer the phone to your room all day, but she did call from your room to have me keep Jack late and to feed him after wards, at around five.”

“Is that all?” Hotch asked.

Spencer looked at Jack sitting on the bed. “One second.”

Spencer went over to Jack. “Can I tell your dad?”

“She’s gonna be mad at me.”

“No, she’ll be mad at me.”

“Ok.”

“Good, then before you go tonight we are all going to have one more conversation.”

Jack tilted his head.

“A safety one.” Spencer said.

Spencer walked over to Hotch. “She scared him. I think it was just words. She threatened him, not specifics. She told him if he told you he wasn’t with her she’d make him sorry. She told him he was only to say “I had fun” when you asked him about the day. She had him cornered in the room when I got there yesterday, I’m certain of it from what I saw as she opened the door and what he said. She repeated those instructions last night while you were in the bathroom. Her plan had been for him to be asleep when you got back but you got back before she expected.”

“Surely…” Hotch started, but he didn’t continue after seeing Spencer’s face.

“Hotch, she yelled at me and swore at me on the phone. She referred to him as ‘the child’ and ‘the thing’ during the conversation. She also informed me that I didn’t know what I was talking about and only women get migraines, but I’m ignoring those. But most of all, she wasn’t dressed for hanging around relaxing in the hotel room when I got there. She was dressed nice, in heels and her make-up and hair done and with expensive earrings in and her purse already on her arm.”

Hotch leaned back in his chair. “Did he whine and beg yesterday?” He asked, looking over towards Jack, who’d moved to lie down on the bed. He had never thought of his child as very whiny until Beth started telling him he was, but maybe he’d always missed it.

“Nope. Even when we were standing in lines forever. And while standing in line to see Aladdin, I was getting ready to whine and complain, after a long day of lines it was just too much more. At one point I thought he might, because I felt like I was ignoring him a bit. Kimi had hurt her foot on Tom Sawyer’s Island, jumping from something, so Ian was carrying her, and then Jade got tired and wanted to be held, and was walking sooo slow, so I picked her up and carried her. I thought Jack might complain then but he didn’t, not once.”

“And he wasn’t a wild little monster running around screaming?” Hotch asked.

“Not when we weren’t letting him and never alone. They did briefly play wild Indians and then pirates. Also all screaming was done as fun and not ever at anyone and in somewhat appropriate places. And I’m not kidding about the lines we stood in yesterday, Hotch. The shortest lines were twenty minutes, Mickey and Fairies. The princess line? Almost an hour. Pooh Bear? Forty-five minutes. Minnie, a half hour. We were in line for Aladdin for forty minutes. None of the rides were too bad, oddly enough. In fact some were very short comparably. If he’d been a misbehaving child, those would have been the times he ought to have.”

“And he didn’t refuse to go on rides you wanted him to, or insist he wasn’t a baby, or bawl when you told him he couldn’t have something.” Hotch said.

“No. Of course, I didn’t refuse to go on any rides either, so he had no example of refusal. No one complained any ride was too babyish and I’m not sure he actually asked for anything, even when all the girls got t-shirts and hats. I do think he made a list though.”

Hotch sighed and looked over to Jack. “This has been a farce of a family vacation.”

Spencer shrugged. 

“You’re not going to comment?” Hotch asked. “You’re not going to tell me it has been a wonderful family vacation?”

Spencer shrugged again. “I think it has had its moments.” Spencer nudged Hotch over and pulled up more photos from Monday. There was one where Hotch was dragging Jack back to the Buzz Lightyear line, laughing and both faces bright and shining. There was a picture of Hotch holding Jack at the Muppets, looking at posters on the wall, both with intense looks of concentration. Another picture showed Jack watching the World of Color on Hotch’s shoulders. The last Spencer pulled up was just of Hotch and Jack walking hand in hand, with Jack looking up at Hotch with a face full of adoration and excitement.

Then he pulled up photos from that morning. The first was Jack running into his dad’s arms and then another of them smiling at each other during lunch, and one of Hotch laughing during lunch and Jack’s confused face, and finally the forth was of Jack and Hotch heading off, looking at Jack’s map.

“Hotch, Jack’s a good kid and he’s willing to have a great family vacation. Heck, he’s willing to have it around not so great times. He just doesn’t understand right now. Frankly, I don’t either. Right now, we both see different rules for different people and messed up lines and excuses and all sorts of bad things. I don’t like it, it makes me on edge and I’m a grown-up. I can only imagine how Jack feels. Even I can’t understand how come you let her say and do things like she has been and get away with and make excuses for it. How is Jack supposed to?”

“It’s just, well…” Hotch stopped.

“You haven’t let me act like that since New Orleans. Hotch, I was using then. That is not the kind of behavior you want your child exposed to regularly. You have always called me to task if I was rude or nasty or you asked me what was wrong. If I get nasty and antsy and rude like that, you take me to task. Furthermore dealing with her has made me realize I owe a ton of people another round of apologies. I, at least, have the excuse of being socially retarded and not realizing when I am being nasty and hurtful most of the time. She knows. She gloats over hurt faces and hurt feelings.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t mean…”

“Breakfast.”

“All right. I admit that was rude, but she didn’t want to have to get up yet.”

“How about how she treated Jack the whole day?”

“Well, she just isn’t used to children and doesn’t understand ages well?”

“Really? Did she say that or are you just hoping that is the reason? How is that going to change unless you tell her to stop making those type comments or at least correcting her when she makes them? How is she supposed to get used to children, or even just Jack, unless you make her spend time with him? Even if it is just sitting next to him on a ride. Tell me again the purpose of this vacation, Hotch.”

“To spend time with Jack and to get Beth and Jack used to each other.”

Spencer raised his eyebrows.

“Think about it. Also think about what Jessica and Garcia would have to say, please. I know every one of you thinks I have no idea about how relationships work and should work and pretty much everything else, so none of you tend to believe me when it involves relationships. I know in this I don’t count and so you’ve been ignoring what I’ve been trying to tell you since the start. But you should trust them, right?”

Hotch nodded. 

“All right, I’ll think about it.”

Spencer looked over to Jack, who was almost asleep.

“We need to go talk to Jack before he falls asleep. Some things said today made me very nervous. It’s time for a safety lecture. Do you mind?”

Hotch shook his head.

Spencer and Hotch joined Jack on the bed and Jack sat up. “Mind if we turn off the TV for a few, Jack.” Spencer asked.

Jack shook his head.

“Jack, what are your safety rules?” Spencer asked.

“Safety rules?”

Spencer nodded. 

“Don’t run off. Don’t answer the door without an adult. Don’t talk to strangers…do people in lines count?”

“Hmm… probably not, but we could amend that to don’t talk to strangers without a trusted adult with you.”

“Hmm…do what daddy says when he gets a serious voice. Also when anyone on the team get a serious voice.”

“Good. Can you think of any more?”

Jack shook his head. “I’m sure I know more though.”

Spencer smiled. “I bet you do. I’m going to talk to you about one that may be a new rule, though.”

“A new one?” Jack asked.

Spencer nodded. “When an adult asks you to keep a secret from one of your trusted adults, never do so. Especially when it’s a secret about something that made you feel bad or uncomfortable, or where you were touched. Even if they threaten you. It is not good to lie about what happened to those who care about you, ever.”

“Like Beth yesterday morning?” Jack said very quietly.

Spencer nodded.

“What about Uncle Dave and Derek about the pot luck? Was that the same?”

“It was wrong, too.”

Hotch looked confused.

“What did they do?” He asked.

Spencer nodded to Jack.

“I did call Beth. Aunt Jessica helped me. Beth told me no, and there was no way she would be coming to a soccer party. Aunt Jessica took the phone and she told Aunt Jessica no as well. We didn’t know she was coming until she showed up and then when you yelled at me for not calling her, Aunt Jess was going to tell you I had, but Derek and Uncle Dave told her that it was more important that you had a woman in your life to make you happy and not to ruin that over such a silly thing as an invitation.”

Hotch looked at Spencer. Spencer nodded. “I was in the kitchen helping with the dishes when they came in after Jack came in crying.”

“He was crying? I didn’t see him leave and Beth said he just went off to play in his room.”

“You weren’t looking at him when you yelled at him?” Spencer asked.

“I was when I first started talking, but I looked towards Beth when she spoke by the end.”

“So you yelled at your child, focused on the source of the contention solely and didn’t engage in communication of any sort after yelling, ignoring him?”

“But Beth said…” Hotch started and then stopped.

Jack looked at Spencer. “Now would be a good time to give Daddy that look you kept giving the phone.”

Spencer started to laugh. “You are right. I’ll remember to not hold it back from now on. Anyway, Uncle Dave and Derek will be getting a lecture on safety issues and setting examples as soon as we get home, maybe even earlier if I can get Garcia to set me up.”

Jack yawned and Hotch stood up. “It is bath and bedtime. Spencer, I will be joining you and Jack tomorrow night, by the way. You are right, that time is gifted me for you guys by the conference and Beth doesn’t need a say. And thanks. I like your new rule, too.”

Spencer was handing Hotch Jack’s gear by the time he reached the door with his armful. “His camera has the card back in and is ready to go for tomorrow.” Spencer said to Hotch. Then he ran his hand through Jack’s curls. “Sleep well and be ready for Breakfast. Tomorrow starts at 8am. Spencer and Jack day is going to be awesome!” 

Jack smiled at Spencer and waved as Hotch left the room with him. Spencer then went and collapsed into his chair. Garcia was waiting for her call and he had no idea what to say. He’d already walked a minefield and a half, Garcia was so going to know.

Spencer dialed Garcia’s number. He dumped out the pins from Patrick as they spoke and pulled out his pin bag from his suitcase. He set the pins from Patrick into character categories and fished out ones he thought he needed, like the rest of the Disney breakfast pins (toast, pancakes, coffee and OJ) and all seven dwarves and snow white. He pinned those into his bag. There were 24 left when he pulled his out. He took four of those out and pinned them to his lanyard and pulled out four pins from his non-Stitch trading set and pinned them on as well. He placed the baggy in his suitcase and his trade pins bag back in his suitcase as he talked to Garcia.

“Junior G-man, you had better be thanking your lucky stars you called. I was getting ready to call you and that would so not have made mama happy. Have you got pictures to send?”

Spencer smiled. Garcia on the phone always made him feel better.

“Of course. Jack said some have to wait till we get back though, because they’d spoil your surprise.”

“As long as I see them. I expect cd’s, Reid. Full of photos. And presents. And Pirate ears, pink ones. And my cookie cutters, don’t forget those. Jack is enjoying his camera then?”

“He is. He’s had help and taken good photos as well.”

“Hotch and his ladyfriend?”

“Hotch has used his. Beth, umm…hers is still in my satchel.”

“Did she bring her own camera? The incredible Auntie Jessie didn’t think she would.”

“As far as I know she didn’t.”

“Reid! That’s a whole day of no photo record! I needed Jack and Beth day to be scrapbooked!”

“Well…”

“Reid.”

“…”

“Spill Mister.”

“Yesterday was well documented and you’ll have plenty of photos. Some very cute little girls will even show up in them, so you’ll even have an excuse to use pink other than when we did see princesses.”

“Why are little girls in photos with Jack?”

“Because I spent the day with my friend Ian and his little girls and a friend.”

“And…”

“And Jack spent the day with me.”

“What happened to Jack and Beth day?”

“Penelope, all you need to know is it didn’t happen.”

“What else hasn’t happened, Spencer?” Garcia’s voice was cold and hard.

“Hey! Hotch and Hotch Jr day did take place. They spent most the day together.”

“Most?”

“Beth talked him into a two hour couples massage and breakfast. Then he was another two hours and a bit late. On the up note, Jack will love to tell you all about meeting Patrick and Hotch should not be sharing about his meeting up with Patrick.”

“Ahh, baby boy has friends.” Her voice was light again and teasing.

“Thanks, makes me fill loved that you find that so amazing.” Spencer’s reply was dry and snotty.

“Ease up, baby boy. I, unlike some people, am aware you have a life, buddy. I just choose to tease you anyway. Any reason you’re not so receptive about it?”

“I’ll try to remember that and not going there.”

“So will the mysterious Patrick and Ian be showing up in photos?”

“Yes, as will Patrick’s sister, although she is dressed like a pixie.”

“No way? You know a pixie personally?”

“I do.” There was a small pause, then Garcia spoke in a very serious tone.

“Hey, Spencer. You’ll keep care of Jack, right? Make sure his vacation is incredible and wonderful and everything it should be? And make sure his birthday gets noticed? I was kind of relying on Beth to think about it and do something, like a mom would want to, since that is what she hints she wants to be.”

“I’ll take care of it. Anything planned?”

“They are supposed to go to a Birthday Lunch, Hotch should know about that. As far as I know that is it.”

“Penelope, both Hotch and I have lectures till 9pm Friday night. Hotch’s starts at six.”

“She’ll take care of him just fine. She has to, right? Yesterday was just because she knew you were back-up and so it wasn’t a have to thing, right?”

Spencer’s computer beeped as email came in.

“Hey, I’ve been emailed a consult that they’d liked looked at tomorrow. I need to go so I can work it tonight. Watch your email. Take care, baby girl.”

“Hey, sweet cheeks to you buddy. I’m Derek’s baby girl.”

“Ok, sweet sleep sweet cheeks.”

“Back at ya, baby boy.”

Spencer sent Penelope about twenty photos from over the last three days, not many but enough to hold her. He made sure all the pins were put away, his lanyard had all the pins on it on tight, and new purchases were tucked in the suitcase, as well as they fit. He was going to have to think about that. Then he read through the consult, which turned out to be easy when you saw the pattern of house numbers and streets and number of people assaulted and dates. However, it was good because the assaults were getting worse when it was a single victim and Spencer suspected the next single victim would have been a murder. He sent a profile and a list of suspected dates and places where the next attack could occur, which was probably the more helpful. He wrote his post card to his mom, and also wrote her a few paragraphs in his longer letter. The post card he’d put in the mail in the morning. Then he went to bed.


	8. chapter 8

Spencer was up early. He slept, but not well. He ran a load of clothing through the washing machines at the hotel, he bought trinkets from the hotel gift shop for himself and the team (Disney shot glasses and snow globes, pens (two sets of four to break up and a few extras) and pencils), and Henry a lanyard that he figured he’d put a few pins on and JJ could hang up high somewhere. It was a Buzz Lightyear starter set, so already had a few pins. He also decided he liked the t-shirt selection for men better there (or maybe it was just easier to go through) and the kids t-shirts with the whole Disney crew on them were better in his opinion. He mailed his post cards from the last three days. He organized his treasure trove of souvenirs, or rather consolidated, setting items from his satchel into his suitcase. He made a list of what he still needed to buy, for himself and from JJ’s list, he found the list Garcia had sent that he hadn’t looked at yet (and pink pirate ears had not been on it!). He got out his ‘big’ camera and its large lens; made sure he had room on his ‘small’ camera’s card and settled both into his satchel. He texted Garcia and asked if he could use Beth’s camera himself, since it could handle pictures that both his cameras considered ‘too near’ in normal modes. He called the police department and talked to someone explaining the pattern he saw, just in case his email to them the night before had been confusing. Finally it was time to start Jack and Spencer day.

Spencer knocked on the Hotchners’ room right before eight in the morning. They couldn’t go to the park until 9am, but Spencer had always planned on allowing Hotch and Beth as much of the day as he could, since Hotch had to work at 4. After yesterday, he was even more certain Jack and Spencer day should start promptly at eight.

Jack answered the door. He was still in his pajamas. Beth was snapping at Hotch in the bedroom she slept in. 

“Dad hasn’t been able to come help me yet. I woke up when he went in to ask her what she wanted to do first, she never answered just started complaining at him.”

Spencer looked at Jack. “This is what? Day four of this type of wake-up call for you?” He asked.

“Hmm, Tuesday wasn’t like this until after Daddy left. Of course, Daddy just got me ready and then yelled goodbye at her through the door, since we could hear she was up.”

“And I think you really ought to set some rules for that man taking your child out today. No rides that are not for little kids. No treats or presents or anything bought for him, that child is spoiled rotten as it is. No photos. What is with you all and all these photos anyway, it’s creepy. Not to mention who in their right mind would want pictures of this, honestly. And Jack shouldn’t be able to take that camera. Maybe he got good photos yesterday, but that was because you were there and took them for him… obviously. And that man had better not have any other immoral nasty freaks like him around your child again today. The nerve of him, exposing his unnaturalness to a small child.” A shrill feminine voice came from behind the door.

Spencer picked Jack up and moved him towards an open suitcase in the other bedroom that held bright clothing. “Did someone mention Patrick kissing me?” Spencer whispered in Jack’s ear.

Jack shook his head. “Worse. Dad mentioned Patrick taught classes and I mentioned he worked on a dig, getting treasures from the ground that tell us about long ago and that he was just a little bit older than you.”

Spencer looked at Jack, confused.

“I don’t understand, either. Unless smart people are unnatural.” Jack said. 

Spencer handed Jack underclothes, jeans, and a red t-shirt and walked him to the bathroom. Jack came out dressed and with his teeth brushed.

“We need socks and shoes, your camera and lanyard, and your ticket.” Spencer said, as he hunted through the suitcase for socks.  
“Socks are in the front pocket, as is my swim gear.”

Spencer lifted Jack onto his lap and put on Jack’s socks and shoes. He found Jack’s bag, checked to see if his pens, maps and autograph book were there still, made sure his camera was in it and had plenty of space left on the card, switched to new batteries (which had been in his satchel anyway), and placed two bottles of water and some snacks in it. He found Jack’s lanyard by the TV, checked to make sure money was still there and Jack’s info was still there, and then hung it off Jack’s neck. He had Jack get his jacket on and went to knock on the bedroom door.

“ …and don’t you even realize how bad a parent you were yesterday? Letting him convince you to take him on all those rides I told you he was too small for. Honestly, do you not even know how old your child is? He’s small, Aaron. You took him on rides that are made for big kids. And look at the food he’s been eating. Kabobs? Kids can’t eat kabobs. Don’t you know anything? You feed kids chicken nuggets and stuff like boxed macaroni and cheese. You can’t feed them adult food. How stupid are you guys?”

Spencer finally heard Hotch’s voice. “And you know all this how? Have a child somewhere I don’t know about? Much younger siblings? Jack turns seven tomorrow. He’s not a baby, he’s not a toddler, and he’s not even a small child really. Heck, to certain demographics he’ll be a tween. Furthermore, the rides are height based and he has been plenty tall enough for all of them. Also, unless you want to spend your life acting like a fast food chef, your kid eats what you eat. Even when he was just a little over one, we fed him mostly what we ate, just in smaller bites if it needed cut up.”

“Well maybe doing stupid things like that is why Haley took Jack away from you in the first place, ever think about that?” Beth yelled.  
“No. Because when I saw Jack, I was always reminded that I wasn’t to feed him just chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese and that I was to make him eat real food too. Apparently Haley hadn’t wanted to be a fast food made-to-order cook either.”

Spencer knocked, a bit stunned and called out. “Um, excuse me. I need Jack’s ticket and then we’ll head out and start our day.”  
Beth swung the door open and her face, which Spencer supposed might have been trying for one of those looks that is supposed to be kind and patient but really isn’t, switched to unconcealed fury. 

“This is your fault, you know. Not only are you queer as can be, you’re a brat. You just expect everyone to give you everything you want and to baby you ridiculously.”

“I do?”

“You made it so he won’t listen to me. You did this, I’m sure.”

“I did what?”

Hotch came to the door. “Beth decided to make reservations at one of the top restaurants connected to one of the nearby hotels yesterday and decided to inform me this morning that I was to be ready for our night on the town at 4 today.”

“Umm…The conference? You need to be there for the start of the speakers at 4.” Spencer said.

“Yes, well apparently Beth decided you should do that speech.” Hotch said.

“The invitation was to you specifically, as unit chief. I was not invited. Heck, I still haven’t been invited even with them all knowing I am here.”

“I explained that to her.”

“Well, that’s good. What about Jack? Was he going with you as well?”

Hotch’s face turned hard and grouchy and his voice was very icy. “No. Jack was going to stay here, in the hotel room, with the doors locked. I would lay him in bed and he’d go right to sleep and so wouldn’t even be awake to know he had been left, all alone, in a hotel room, for many hours. Starting at four, in the afternoon.”

Spencer looked at Beth with utter amazement.

“You have got to be kidding.”

“What?” Beth asked.

“Just, that is phenomenally stupid. Bad parent of the year stupid. Get your child removed from your care by Child Protection Services stupid. That would never under any remote circumstances be a good idea, ever. Until your child is old enough to take care of themselves, and even then, in a strange hotel…yeah, still stupid but maybe a run to the grocery store possibility, but that’s more like 11 or older and for short periods of time for most kids. Do you want Jack to become one of the kids we have to look for during work?” Spencer asked.

“What would you know about it? Everyone knows you are horrid with children.” Beth asked Spencer and Spencer just gave her a dumbfounded look and turned to Hotch.

“The last hour of listening to Child Care 101 according to Beth, and where ever she got her ideas, came about because I told her that there was no way in hell that any of her plans for the night were happening. I will be doing my speech and you will have Jack at the park. Heck, at this rate I’ll let you keep Jack at the park until closing. If I’m such a bad dad I might as well be a very bad dad. Now, let me get you Jack’s ticket.”

Hotch got Spencer Jack’s ticket from his wallet in the other bedroom, and then walked Jack and Spencer to the door. Before they left Spencer turned to Hotch.

“Sorry Hotch, I shouldn’t have said anything. Just for the record though, even with the Reid Effect in full blown glory, I have NEVER been that stupid. I mean never, not even at like age two. Now, I have no doubt Jack could watch himself for a few hours, if he had to, but I know better than most that one doesn’t purposefully lock a child in a hotel room alone at his age, heck I wouldn’t even do so at twice his age. That is downright ridiculous. Tell her to toss whatever she is getting parenting advice from in the trash and try learning before she makes a bigger fool of herself.”

Jack took Spencer’s hand and dragged him out the door, cutting off anything else Spencer might have said or any reply his dad might have given. As the door shut, Spencer looked down at the boy.

“Sorry, I know that was rude, but I really need Spencer and Jack day to start and to be good. Think we still have time for breakfast?”

Spencer laughed. “I can imagine, after listening to that all morning. Do you want waffles again, or should we take time for a different breakfast?”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

“Well, since you are obviously too little to eat grown-up people food but I am a horrid example and unnatural to boot, I should introduce you to food little boys should not be able to eat.”

“Like what?” Jack asked.

“I am thinking either omelets or quiche.” Spencer said.

“I’ve had omelets. Uncle Dave makes them for us. Daddy burns them because he can’t get them to fold right or cook right. Let’s try the quiche thingy.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Spencer said.

They ended up finding a buffet which had quiche, and crab and asparagus and shrimp and biscuits and gravy, so they didn’t have a long wait and Jack ate lots of different foods that he’d never had for breakfast before. As they ate they spread their maps out and plotted their day. Spencer took photos of Jack breaking into his crab legs, and Jack took photos of Spencer doing the same. As they were finishing up the last of their meal, Jack looked at Spencer and asked, “If I was going to eat dinner at your place, what would you feed me?”

Spencer laughed. “Well, did I know you were coming over? If so how much time did I have warning?”

“Why?” Jack asked.

“I have chicken nuggets, French fries, fish sticks and a bag of burritos and a bag of pot stickers in my freezer. I have canned soups, Raman noodles, pastas and pasta sauces, and canned veggies in my cupboards. I stop on my way home to pick up just enough bread, meat, and dairy products for one day every night. If it’s too late to hit the bakery, deli and grocer on the way home, I eat take out. If you were to come to my house and I knew you were coming and had a few days, I’d get what was needed to make a good meal, but if your daddy had to just drop you by, we’d be eating take-out or foods Beth considered just right for little kids, like chicken nuggets and French fries.”

“You’d buy stuff to make something good just for me?” Jack asked.

“Of course. I can make a really good chicken pot pie and pretty good enchiladas.” Spencer said.

“Cool.” Jack said.

“Of course Dave is a much better cook, I think,” Spencer said. “He also knows how to use fresh products. Most what I know how to cook with wasn’t from fresh food, but from cans and frozen foods.”

“Why didn’t you learn using fresh stuff?” Jack asked.

“We didn’t get to the grocery store very often when I was learning to cook.” Spencer answered.

“I like going to the grocery store. Most the time Aunt Jess takes me, but sometimes Daddy does the shopping and he lets me choose things.”

“I liked choosing things too, when I was your age.” Spencer said. “You ready?”

Jack nodded and he and Spencer headed out.

Even with their late start, they made it to the park without much problem and without losing too much time. They headed directly for Star Tours. Spencer asked how long the line would take, and when he was told it was running a half hour, Spencer decided to grab a fast pass and he and Jack went on the Astro Blaster ride yet again, first. In line Spencer and Jack discussed space and what type equipment one needed in space, and how liquid floats in space. Then they stopped along different stores, making lists (Jack his ‘things I want” list and Spencer a list for Jack’s Birthday and a list of things to get Henry still.) They headed towards a terrace in Tomorrowland, where Spencer and Jack got situated to go to the Jedi Training Academy. They enjoyed the show, just watching, neither terribly sad Jack didn’t get picked. Both took tons of photos to send to Garcia and Jack told Spencer after the show was over that he thought he had a better time just being in the audience, because he could see Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers better. By the time the show was over, their fast pass could be used so they went and rode Star Tours. Spencer told Jack all about Star Wars and different characters and different places, and about the ships and droids while waiting in line. Jack asked more questions after they finished the ride and Spencer always had an answer. They spent a bit of time in the store after they got off the ride and by the time they were ready to leave, Spencer knew which potato heads to give Jack. He also noted which toy sets to buy Jack for his birthday (and to pick up for himself and to fulfill Garcia’s list).

“We’ll go shopping tonight,” Spencer said, “And hit the other rides you want to go on again with me in the park later. Right now, we are going to go to Bugs Life and then hit the river run and redwood challenge. After we are done there, we’ll see what time we have. Keep your camera out and ready.”

Spencer took photos right and left with his bigger camera as they walked, pausing every once in a while, but mostly never long enough for Jack to notice. He snapped photos with the camera he’d been using for most the trip and with the camera that was supposed to have been Beth’s. Jack thought it was funny and would point out things he wanted a picture of. Spencer told Jack he was focusing on details and happiness in the parks. Spencer also pulled out the Hidden Mickey checklist for the California Adventure Park. 

They picked up a fast pass for the river run and then headed to the bugs life attractions (which had been on Beth’s ‘too silly’ list). Bug’s Life’s lines were mostly short; they usually didn’t even have to wait through a full round of the rides, but just long enough for the ride that was currently happening to finish up. Spencer thought the area would be about perfect for Henry. Jack almost felt too old for it, but they enjoyed the rides still. They both enjoyed the Tough To Be a Bug show and adding Flick and Princess Atta to their autograph books. They had even found a few of the Hidden Mickeys. Jack was very proud of the pictures he got of the cocoons and the bamboo, and Spencer had fun taking photos as well. The area was very rich in photo opportunities. They were still done with the whole section of ‘a bug’s life’ at right around a quarter after twelve, before their fast pass for the river run could be used. 

Only once, while they were in the ‘bug’s life’ area did Spencer have to bring Jack to task. All the kids in line were hanging off the railings while they waited for the ride. Jack decided to join in.

“Jack,” Spencer said. “Could you please not do that?”

“Do what?” Jack asked, sitting on a rail.

“Playing on the railings. It isn’t exactly a safe practice.” Spencer said.

“It isn’t?” Jack said. He looked at the other kids.

“No. Do you want statistics?” Spencer asked.

Jack climbed down. “No. What could happen though?”

“Cracked heads, broken arms and legs and hands and ankles and wrists, busted lips, twisted arms and ankles and wrists, knocked out teeth, concussions…”

“All right, Spencer, I won’t anymore.” Jack had said.

Since the whole area hadn’t taken nearly as long as Spencer had thought it would, Spencer and Jack hit the animation building, and Spencer’s luck held out. Jack got to see vacation Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy (and Max) before Spencer and he headed to the Sorcerer’s Workshop area. They looked for the Hidden Mickey’s in the first room and Jack found them. With Jack there, they spent more time playing with Ursula, but when they got back up Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Chip and Dale and Stitch were all greeting people and Jack added them all to his book as well. Jack didn’t want to draw or talk with turtles, so they found lunch (eating Wieners, which set Jack off giggling) and then headed to get in line for the river run.

“Having fun so far?” Spencer asked Jack. Jack laughed and smiled at him.

“Yes!” 

As they stood in line, Spencer told Jack about California, and the gold rush and wagon trains. They talked about the indigenous populations, languages, and place names. As they walked past kayaks and paddles, Spencer told Jack what he knew about kayaking, both river and sea, and then made sure Jack understood that Spencer himself had never actually gone. He told Jack about when he’d tried surfing once, when he was still growing and way ganglier than he was currently, but that he’d never had a chance to try kayaking, or canoeing. Spencer said he had been dragged white water rafting once, and he might be willing to do it again now that many years had gone by, and he’d been out deep sea fishing once and that wasn’t bad except fishing bored him. Jack asked what boats he could go on and Spencer said they’d have to ask his dad.

Their stuffed tucked into lockers, Jack and Spencer were prepared to get wet. Spencer and Jack both rolled their eyes at the squealing people who were on the raft with them, and as Spencer went to give Jack a mini-lecture on how rapids occurred in the real world and where and why, the other riders glared at him and Spencer fell silent. Jack glared back for most the ride, and smirked when he and Spencer ended up the driest. 

“Can you tell me about rapids now?” Jack asked as they got off. Spencer smiled and started giving his lecture as they retrieved their belongings. 

“That didn’t take as long as I thought, either.” Spencer said. “Twenty minute wait with the fast pass, and maybe ten minutes of a ride. It is just after half past one. We’ll have to see what else you want to do after we get done with the redwood challenge. I have no clue how long it will take, Patrick said it was like an oversized playground for kids but not all that great for adults so I’ve never been.”

At the entrance they got their map and headed off to complete their tasks. They easily finished within a half hour and stayed long enough for the award ceremony. The consensus was they would love to go with more kids, the whole of Jack’s soccer team would be a good amount and that they needed harder puzzles for Spencer -and a zip-line for grown-ups. There had been a few times when Spencer had been trying to get the perfect photo and Jack had to do slides or things more than once, but everyone was having fun so it was fine.

“I want to go on the toy story ride with you and the carousel here, and Goofy’s flight school.” Spencer said as they left, big camera still around his neck. “Let’s do those and then see what time it is and what else we could do here.”

Jack nodded, none had been done yet as they had avoided the whole Pier area on Monday (except the Little Mermaid ride, which wasn’t really the Pier area) when with Beth and he and Spencer had not had a chance to hit it on Tuesday night either, they just headed towards Aladdin and managed to hit Tower of Terror on the way. They hit Goofy’s Flight School just about perfectly, with not too long a line and they both laughed all the way through the ride at the teenage girls in the cart before them who thought it was scream worthy. Jack deemed it Dad worthy and marked in down for the next day. They took the walk around the boardwalk that took them past all the rides at a pace that allowed Spencer his photo taking. Spencer told Jack about each of them, and had him pick two that they might try if they had time later. He’d once had to call Jack back when he’d moved to fast and ended up to far away from Spencer for his comfort.

“Spencer?” Jack asked as they walked.

“Yes?”

“How come you are doing lots of lectures tomorrow at one school?”

“I went there when I was young, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“Sometimes schools like to have people who graduated from them and then went on to do something well, or important, come back and speak. Or they like it when they are having recruitment seminars if one of the speakers had gone to the school.”

“Why?”

“It makes the students attending see that people who’d sat right where they sit everyday can go on to do great things. Also, I’m giving lectures on a set of research papers I helped write, explaining to people what we said in them.”

“Oh. I wonder where Daddy would go to speak if he was to go speak where he graduated.”

“I’m not sure; we’d have to ask him.”

“Is this the only school you could speak at because of that?”

Spencer laughed. “No, your daddy sometimes teases me by telling me I collect schools. I could be asked to speak at three or four more universities for the same reasons, if they ever wanted me to.”

The carousel’s line was tiny and they had to only wait through one round. Jack took his camera out as well while they stood in line. Spencer and Jack both had their cameras out taking photos of the sea critters and the rest of the carousel. Jack took pictures from the line down the boardwalk, and pictures of the big Ferris wheel. Spencer took pictures of Jack. They rode the carousel twice, getting right off and right back into line and making it right straight back on. Then they went and stood in line for Toy Story.

Jack did the talking in the Toy Story line. He told Spencer the movie plots for each movie and the best thing about each character. And Spencer listened and asked questions to find out more. Jack loved it when Spencer listened intently to him, like he really wanted to know. Spencer then asked about memories involving times he watched the movies and listened when Jack told him all about those. They took photos as they walked through the line and soon they were on the ride.

Spencer won, but only by maybe two shots. Jack loved it. 

“I knew you and I had to do that ride,” Spencer told him.

Jack laughed. “We make a good team. Daddy needs to do that ride with me as well.”

“He does. Are you looking forward to tomorrow?” Spencer asked Jack.

Jack snorted. “After this morning? Not really.” 

They walked a little ways and Spencer found someplace for them to drink some sodas where they could sit for a little while. Jack pulled out his map and Spencer pulled out his own. Spencer helped Jack mark his California Park map, which was empty because they hadn’t pulled it out at all yet. Jack kneeled in his chair and leaned onto the table as they worked. As Spencer was marking his own map with dates and times Jack spoke again, “You know the upsetting thing is I was happy Daddy was dating again. Uncle Dave told me Daddy would be happier and Derek told me how happy having a good woman in his life would make Dad and I was happy he was going to get that. But, they both also told me how she was going to do things with me and fix me dinners and read me stories and help me with homework and watch movies with me and go places with me and my dad and cheer for me when I played sports or was in a school play and how much having a woman in Dad’s life would make me happy too. And that never happened, Spencer. After I met her, sometimes she’d come to the house, but mostly she wouldn’t want to and Dad would just end up calling Aunt Jess to keep me. When she did come over…If Daddy asked, sometimes she’d read me a story, but not even every time Daddy asked. She never watches movies with me, and if we are technically watching a movie together, it has to be something she picks. She won’t watch any kid movies with me. She likes movies with lots of kissing in them, Spencer. She came to one game, and left half way through it because Daddy wouldn’t let her stand with him while he was coaching and he wasn’t paying attention to her. If there are people watching, she’ll be all sweet to me , at least sometimes, and hug me and talk to me, but even then she talks to me kind of like I’m a baby. Other times, though, she does things that make Daddy get mad at me in front of other people. I am not happier with a woman in Daddy’s life, not at all. Aunt Jess is good for all those things and I think even Aunt Jess makes Daddy happier than Beth. I just don’t understand why they think I will be happier with a woman in Daddy’s life and why they even think he’s happier? How can he be happier than he was before Beth when she treats us all like that?”

Spencer looked up from his map as Jack spoke and sighed. “Sometimes people think men need all that kissing stuff to make them happy, Jack. Even if everything else makes them not as happy, people often think that as long as that kissing stuff is going on a person will still be happier than they were without the kissing stuff. Especially for men who are younger or like your Daddy’s age. Most don’t really need it, it’s just friends and society that makes them think they do and sometimes people are willing to put up with unhappiness and even outright nastiness so that they have what others think will make them happy and makes them look happy to society.”

“That is silly.” Jack said.

“Oh, I know.” Spencer said. “Unfortunately, I think it is something each person in the world has to figure out on their own.”

“What do I do until then?” Jack asked.

“Well, the first thing you do is you make sure never to allow anyone to hurt you. I have all confidence that you will know when someone is trying to scare you and hurt you and you need to find and speak with your trusted adults and when it’s just people being mean and stupid and that you can deal with on your own. Don’t ever be afraid to tell your daddy anything. Even when he makes excuses, tell him because even while making those excuses he will still listen to you and he needs to know so he can make informed decisions. Also, always remember our new rule. And remember, you have people you can call up and who will come for you if you need us or even just want us. You always have Aunt Jessica, she loves you completely. Auntie Penny, Auntie JJ, Uncle Dave and even I would drop anything if you needed us.”

“You would?” Jack asked.

“I would.” Spencer said.

“Even if it was just because I needed help on my homework?” Jack asked.

“Of course.” Spencer said. “I’ll tell you a secret, one that is ok because you can tell all your other trusted adults – you don’t really have to keep it…I love homework. I loved it from the beginning and I still love homework.”

Jack laughed. “I don’t mind it, really. But sometimes I don’t like to do it all by myself.”

Spencer smiled. “That’s all right. I think most normal kids don’t like to do it by themselves all the time either.”

“But you did?” Jack asked.

Spencer laughed. “I never said I was normal. Now what do you want to do for the next little while? It’s like three ten. I think we’ll head back to Disneyland at about five, maybe five thirty if we eat here.”

Jack looked down the pier. “Let’s just walk back towards the Jumpin’ Jellyfish ride, hitting the Mickey Wheel first.” 

“Swinging cars?”

“Yeah. Even though they might be scary.”

Jack thought they were scary, too, the first time the gondola slid down and the next time, too. One of the other kids in the ride with them had started crying and Jack looked like he might join him. Spencer reached into his bag and pulled out his notebook and a pencil.

“You know, Jack, the whole ride is math, mechanics and physics.” Spencer said, focusing Jack’s attention on him and not the sliding and swinging. Spencer went on to draw the science behind the ride, and soon the other little boy was listening as well, instead of crying. Jack started to enjoy the swinging and sliding, too. When he knew the science behind it, it was less scary and more fun. As soon as the kids had calmed enough to enjoy, Spencer tucked his notebook away and took his cameras out, taking pictures from the ride and of Jack in the ride enjoying it.

When it was over, the father of the little boy who’d been crying thanked Spencer for the distraction he provided and Jack beamed. They walked around to the Jumpin’ Jellyfish ride, which had a short line. After the Jellyfish they hit the zephyrs and the swings. 

“I liked the Toy Story ride best of those, and the Mickey wheel at the end.” Jack said as they exited the swings. “This last was like a carnival ride.”

Spencer laughed. “They are traditional boardwalk or carnival type rides. I think that is the point. Want to look around here for dinner? And have you seen anything that you really want for your birthday?”

“What’s to eat?”

They looked at their maps, filling what they’d done out and looking at food options. They headed to Lucky Fortune Cookery, and finished their meals in good time, well before Spencer had been aiming for.

Spencer and Jacked walked around throughout the park again, with their cameras out, while Jack decided if he wanted to stop for anything. They hit a store that sold pins, and Jack decided on one for part of his birthday gift (Toy Story Midway Mania one) and Spencer found his for the day (Mickey Wheel that had working parts and a Woody and Buzz pin) and another pin set to breakup (Daffy bear in honor of California Adventure Park) and spread throughout the lanyards for the rest the team. Spencer picked up his dollar with purchase pin and hidden mickey pouches. He noticed the guy at the pin store was wearing a lanyard to trade with and since they weren’t in a hurry and there wasn’t a line Spencer gave two of his pins from his traders to Jack, and showed him how to trade with one of the Disney officials. The man allowed Spencer a trade as well.

“Dude! This pin is like six year old and exclusive, it will be epic, are you sure you want to get rid of it?” the guy said as he handed Spencer the pin he had pointed to on his lanyard, a vacation Mickey.

“It’s an extra. I’ve also got a whole extra set of the Disneyland lettered tickets from about 05 back at my hotel to play with later. I haven’t been to the park in about four years, so most my extras are that old or older.” Spencer said.

“You have got to find time to do some trading while here.”

“I plan on doing some more teaching the art of trading this weekend, with Jack here. We are just trying to build up his options.”

“This pin is worth way more than anything else I have, I should even it out a bit. Another ‘good’ one or several more common?”

Spencer looked at Jack. “More common, have any doubles? Jack could have one to keep and one to give.”

“Perfect choice.” The guy looked and pulled off four more pins, two identical Mickey pins and two identical fish pins. He helped Jack pin them on his lanyard. “You’ve got a great Daddy there, you know.”

“He’s not my Daddy, but he is the bestest co-worker in the world, well maybe the second bestest…Daddy’s co-worker Dave helps coach my soccer team… and the absolute bestest person to go to Disneyland and here with. He knows everything!”

“He’s my charge on the days his daddy has to work during our working vacation.” Spencer explained.

“Dude, you need a gold star for that.” They guy took off another pin and pinned in directly on Spencer’s lanyard. It may not have been gold, but it was star shaped, with Pluto inside the star.

As they walked along the back-lot section, they stopped at the store with all the Muppet and Monsters Inc. stuff, and Jack asked for some vinylmation characters. Spencer loved the idea, and bought Jack three little boxes (from the Muppets series) and then boxes for all the team members (from a mix of series), and then himself five boxes (three Muppets and two random) and two of the vinylmation pin sets, each coming with mystery pins (well, technically four sets, as he bought ones for himself as well – he found Muppets and one that had animated Disney characters) and then fiveof the five pack random selected Jr Pin vinylmation packs, from the different series (he hadn’t looked closely at them, just made sure they were different series.). He found Garcia’s Miss Piggy plushy and Garcia’s Boo and Sully plushies and bought himself a few Muppets figurines as well. (He always had had a soft spot for Scooter, Beaker, the Swedish Chef and Rowlf the Dog.) He bought a Kermit lanyard and some Muppet pins. Jack told him that now he could switch from purple pixies and Spencer told Jack he’d become quite fond of it since Jack helped him decide to wear it, he’d save Kermit for another time. Jack laughed as Spencer juggled his purchases while putting Garcia’s down first and getting her card out of his lanyard. The girl ringing them up was laughing as well and told him that if he was splitting purchases most places would allow him to request pins for each set. Then he split the pins into his own and got his dollar pin, and everyone else’s and got a dollar pin from that. They added Hidden Mickey pouch pins for him and Jack bough some as well. Spencer left smiling. It was nearly six fifteen when Spencer and Jack got back into Disneyland proper again. 

“Do you want to watch the parade again?” Spencer asked Jack.

“No, I want to go on the Haunted Mansion ride and Thunder Mountain Railroad ride with you and Splash Mountain but it might be too late for that.” Jack said.

“Let’s do a little bit more shopping and then head that way right before the parade starts.” Spencer said. “That way we’ll be in the area if your dad calls.”

Spencer took out his list from JJ and Garcia’s list and they headed into the Emporium. Jack helped Spencer round out JJ’s t-shirt list for Henry (Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Buzz, Disneyland –Spencer already got a t-shirt with all the characters on it) and bought stuffed animals (all the Mickey and friends characters and Pooh Bear and company) and toys (Mickey and Minnie and Pluto and Goofy figures he could play with). The picked up Garcia’s trinkets (cookie cutters, magnets, pixie pins, Alice in Wonderland figurines and Nightmare before Christmas figurines, Minnie and Princesses and Daisy figurines, stuffed Minnie and stuffed Daisy and a Minnie Christmas ornament and a Tinkerbell Christmas ornament, Disney coffee mugs –at least four- and a Disney alarm clock) and got her a mad hatter hat. Spencer found t-shirts for himself and Jack (matching Mickey shirts) and the ladies who he hadn’t picked up shirts for yet (only three), another set of ears (Halloween themed for both –Spencer’s pumpkin and Jack’s Jack Skellington), and magnets and key rings for all the team (several of the key rings for himself… little foam mouse head balls, he got three each of the nine different ones he found and then extra princess, Minnie and rainbow ones) and some for Jack and some cups and Mickey straws and ID tag necklaces. He picked up his own set of cookie cutters and coffee mugs and an extra t-shirt for Jack’s birthday (grey with Mickey and Pluto). He picked up some bright and loopy Mickey Mouse earrings and a necklace for Garcia and some more sedate earrings and a nice necklace for Jessica, and some more manly necklaces for himself and Jack. Spencer added Hidden Mickey pouches to his purchase and Garcia’s pins were enough to get a dollar pin with and he did a happy dance out of the store as he fished his phone from his satchel. Jack thought it was hilarious. 

“Are you joining us?” Spencer asked when Hotch answered.

“I am. I’m going through the bag check right now. I was asked to give a second short talk right after dinner when one of the other speakers couldn’t make it. It was a fly by your seat speech on presenting evidence in court.” Hotch said. “I don’t know why I decided to bring a huge backpack just to hold my camera; that was rather stupid of me.”

“Jack wants to ride Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion, and Splash Mountain but we aren’t sure about that one. We are skipping the parade, but it might be hard to get around it so meet at Big Thunder Mountain.”

“See you then.” Hotch said.


	9. chapter 9

Jack and Spencer managed to work their way back to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, having to back track a few times around crowds for the parade. Hotch was already there. Spencer and Jack looked at each other. Hotch looked stressed. He looked ‘missing-kids-no-leads-time’s-running-out’ stressed.

“The crowds?” Jack asked.

“No. I had no problems. I took the train to New Orleans Square.”

Jack and Spencer looked at each other and did identical face palms.

“Was the conference that bad?” Spencer asked.

“No, I had a fairly nice time at the conference. I met some nice people, and of course lecturing to folks who don’t ask ‘have you ever shot anyone?’, but instead ask intelligent questions always makes for a decent time. Not to mention, the food was excellent. They went all out in getting caterers for the event. Rock Lobster was one of the options, and baked potatoes which were perfect and cheese for topping them and some of the best carrots. Dilled and just perfectly done.”

“Oh,” Jack and Spencer said together.

“Yeah. Let’s just ride on these rides.” Hotch said.

As they stood in line and Jack told his dad all about his day, Hotch looked less stressed. Spencer juggled bags for a few.

“Hey, backpack?” Spencer asked.

Hotch turned and showed the one he had on to Spencer.

“Yes! What’s in it?”

“Cameras, bottle water, and fruit snacks.”

“Hotch, have I ever told you how much I love you?” Spencer asked. “Jack, can you carry your dad’s water, snack and cameras?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Your dad is going to lend his backpack to carrying Garcia’s and JJ’s stuff.”

“I am?” Hotch asked.

“You are. I’ll even wear it while we walk around. Just, you have to take it on rides.”

Hotch handed over the backpack, which was emptied and then filled with packages. They even fit the Muppet stuff bag in the backpack and hadn’t even used any pockets. Spencer managed to put the small package of his own stuff in his satchel.

“Why did you bring a bag that big?” Spencer asked. “Not that I’m complaining now, mind you.”

“I was stressed and not thinking?” Hotch replied. Spencer gave him a sad smile, and Jack started talking again.

Just before they got on the ride Spencer asked “So, the 9 o’clock show or the one that starts at 10:30?”

Hotch looked at Jack. “You still have energy Jack?”

“Loads of it. I can stay up late.” Jack answered.

“The 10:30 show it is.” Hotch answered. Jack did a happy dance and then turned around to look and see if their set of cars was coming in yet. While he was looking that way Hotch leaned over to Spencer and said very softly, “And maybe he’ll be grumpy and bratty tomorrow and she’ll actually see him that way and maybe be bright enough to see the difference.”

“That bad a day, huh?” Spencer asked.

Hotch shook his head and rolled his eyes. “It was like being with a yo-yo. We’d be in the middle of something she wanted to do, shopping mostly – mind you she was upset when I wouldn’t buy everything for her so whined for like the first hour about how I buy Jack everything he looks at and I buy her nothing - and she would be all hand holding and smiles and kisses. Then, out of nowhere usually, she would all of a sudden get grouchy about something. Not to mention, I’ve heard so much ‘see how wonderful a time we can have when we don’t have the brat with us?’ and ‘Life is so much better when it is just normal adults doing the things they both love together’ that I’m nauseated. Then when I asked we go to do anything I wanted to do, she refused. Sports store? No. Movie? No. Book store? She yelled at me for that suggestion. Wouldn’t even let me go into an electronics shop or the music store next to the second shoe shop. We walked into lunch late for the reservation she made, almost too late, and it was the most expensive but useless bit of food I’ve ever seen. Like art work made of a teeny tiny bit of food and charging for …I don’t know what. Seventy bucks a plate and it was like six bites total! At about two, I finally, after hearing for the umpteenth time how fun it was to do things just with us adults that both loved to do together, asked her when exactly we were going to do anything I loved, let alone liked. She started bawling, and when I didn’t fuss and apologize either in words or with bought presents, she started in like she had been this morning telling me how horrid I was at being a boyfriend, a dad, a boss, a person and basically at existing. She didn’t stop until I left for the conference. That is assuming she stopped after I left. It was the longest continual rant, but not even the first rant of the day.”

“I’m sorry.” Spencer said.

“I just wish I knew what went wrong.” Hotch said. Spencer snorted. “Do you know?”

Spencer shrugged. “Let’s just enjoy the ride. After we all get home to Quantico, if you decide you want to ask again, we can revisit that.”

They piled in the ride and all enjoyed it. They then decided to back track and ride other rides since they were going to the late show and everyone decided Splash Mountain would be too cold that late at night in October. They rode the carousel and the tea cups and the Matterhorn again, and then Space Mountain. 

Although the line to Space Mountain wasn’t long, Spencer noticed Jack was leaning on things a lot and fidgeting. 

“Tired?” Spencer leaned down and asked Jack. Jack shook his head.

“Tired of standing?” Spencer asked. Jack nodded. Spencer looked at Hotch, who had decided to keep the backpack and looked tired himself. Then he reached down and lifted Jack into his arms. Jack leaned his head against Spencer’s shoulder and played with the lanyard around his neck.

“What are they all?” Jack asked.

Spencer pulled the lanyard out a little ways. “On the right side are the pins from this year. I got Mickey and Minnie in Halloween costumes because I came during Halloween, and I got a ying yang Mickey head as my Mickey pin and I got one for the year with the park name and date. Then I got the donut and tea, because of our special breakfast, and Snow White’s evil step-mother as my second pin for Monday.”

“But we got her evil step-mother’s autograph Tuesday.” Jack said. Spencer just smiled and Hotch snorted.

“For my pins for Tuesday, I found one of Space Mountain and one of the Princesses, and yesterday’s pins are Jungle Mickey, and then Patrick bought me a paradise pier pin and one of Fawn. Today’s pins aren’t on yet. Do you remember what we picked out today?”

“You got the Mickey Wheel one and the one with Buzz and Woody together.” Jack said.

“Yep, because I wanted to remember how much fun we had on the Toy Story ride and how brave you were on the Mickey wheel.”

“Cool. They tell the story of our trip!” Jack exclaimed.

“They do.”

“You do have one from today on there, well two.” Jack said.

“I do?” Spencer asked.

“Yeah, the ones from when you traded.” Jack pointed out.

Spencer looked down and Jack helped him move the pins he got for trade to the right side of Spencer’s lanyard.

“There. Those will be good additions to our trip’s story.” Spencer said.

“They will?” Jack asked.

“Most definitely.”

“What are the pins on the other side?” Hotch asked.

“Those are my pins for trade.” Spencer said. “I keep them on that side because it is easier for me to remove them and add to that side. We have the handful of stitch pins I started out with, three of my stash left, and two of the newer pins that Patrick gave me for trading yesterday.”

“Is it heavy?” Hotch asked. Jack lifted the lanyard and it jangled.

“Not really, Dad. But it could be noisy!” Jack said. They laughed. The line moved along and Spencer set Jack back down as they got to the place to go onto the ride.

“It wasn’t any scarier at night time,” Jack announced as they exited the ride. Hotch and Spencer laughed. The respite from standing seemed to have fixed Jack for a while and he was ready to move again. 

They stopped at the Star Trader again, Hotch and Jack briefly coming in before Spencer whispered to Hotch that he needed to do some special day shopping. Spencer stayed in and picked up some toy sets Jack had looked at (and extras of them for himself, Henry and Garcia) and a Princess Lea hat, a few Star Wars T-shirts and Chewbacca hats and Darth Vader and Darth Maul figurines to work more off Garcia’s list…and a toy set for Henry from himself, the toy set for Henry from JJ’s list and the stuffed Ewok and t-shirts for Will and JJ and Henry, as close to matching as possible, from JJ’s list, and a coffee mug for himself (and four star wars vinylmation boxes, and the star wars vinylmation pin set which he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed before, and light sabers and star wars themed t-shirts for him and Jack and the specific potato head Jack wanted...he’d give the extra to Henry). And toy sets to finish out Christmas for Jack and Henry. He then found his perfect Star Tours pin, and got a few extra star wars pins as well. The guy running the cash register laughed hysterically as Spencer tried to organize the items he had by whose list they belonged with and which card he needed to use to shop with. Luckily, Spencer also had time to talk with him and he produced a Mickey Fun Wheel pin when Spencer said he hadn’t been able to find one by the pins and wished he’d picked an extra up while in the other park earlier. He was generous with mystery pins when Spencer explained what he was doing and about Jack’s birthday (he let him buy six of the Hidden Mickey pouches and three dollar pouches). Spencer met with Jack and Hotch at the Green Men store and picked up the most of the rest of JJ’s list (and a few more things for Jack, Garcia and himself – including the Phineas and Ferb items from Garcia’s list and the Toy Story items from Garcia’s list). Spencer was astounded he’d made it through a store without adding pins, until he looked at the sales men’s lanyard and saw two pins he’s been looking for for a while. After asking if the man could take the time for trading, a stitch and one of Spencer’s stash went to getting Spencer year pins for two years he hadn’t been to the park. Hotch and Jack laughed when Spencer explained what had taken so long in the shopping line.

They walked to the Haunted Mansion, managing through the crowds starting to gather to watch Fantasmic’s first show, Spencer often lifting bags high in the air to maneuver better. Every time he did either Hotch or Jack would laugh. 

The line to the Haunted Mansion was probably one of the longer ones they stood in that day, but like Jack pointed out they had time to spare. Spencer played with taking photos in the dark with his different cameras and Hotch had Jack tell him all about his day in detail, as opposed to the over view he had received earlier. 

“Hey,” Spencer said as the line was about half done. “Can I give Jack his birthday presents from me while we sit waiting for the show to start?”

Hotch shrugged. “Sounds like a good way to spend time to me.”

Jack jumped up and down. “I can’t wait till tomorrow. I saw a kid today with a ‘It’s my Birthday’ badge and I want one of those and Aunt Jess said she got me a special lunch planned and we’ll go to the California Adventures park tomorrow and I’ll take Daddy on Tower of Terror and Toy Story and Goofy’s flight school and the Mickey wheel and it’ll be so fun.”

Hotch smiled. “I remember. Lunch will be awesome.”

Jack smiled. “Maybe we can work on my shopping list tomorrow, too.”

Spencer smiled. “We can go over it and see if there are things to mark off it before you go shopping.”

Jack smiled.

The line moved and Spencer started reading the sayings on things they passed out loud. Jack picked up a conversation with some other kids in the line in front of them. One of them had Jack Skellington ears and Jack noticed it seemed bigger than his, until he realized they were real bandages. Jack asked all about them and the kid was eager to share. Jack pulled Spencer’s shirt to get his attention.

“Sorry, Jack. What’s up?”

Jack pointed at the boy with the Jack Skellington hat. “I found an object lesson.”

“An object lesson?” Spencer asked.

“Remember earlier when you told me not to swing and play on the bars in lines for rides? He was doing that and fell and cracked his head open! And it bled and bled and he had to get a new t-shirt and a new jacket and his mommy had to get a new jacket and his mommy had to leave his little brother and sister with his aunts and cousins in line at the submarines while she rushed him out of line to the first aide place. He wants to go back tomorrow and ride the submarines and see if he could still see his blood where he cracked his head! Isn’t that cool?” Jack said.

“I’m not sure cool is the word I’d use, but it is very interesting. It very lucky his extended family didn’t mind the others being just left with them like that.”

“Extended?”

“Beyond his mommy, daddy, and siblings.”

“Oh. That is good. His whole family came almost. There are fifteen of them here and then his other grandma and grandpa. That’s so cool, too!”

Spencer laughed. “Yes, that is pretty cool.”

Jack scampered away enough to talk to the other kids again, and Spencer looked and thought he could mostly figure out who was part of the family Jack had been speaking of. He noticed Hotch trying to figure it out as well.

“Sisters?” Hotch asked.

“Yes. Large age gap between the oldest and the youngest.” Spencer said.

“Youngest sister an accident or in a line of other siblings?” Hotch asked.

Spencer watched for a few moments. “I’m going to go with at the end of other siblings. The oldest is a second mommy to the youngest ones kids, though. Watch how they just go to her when they want picked up or something.”

“I think the youngest had the little boy who got hurt quite young, as a teen.” Hotch said.

“Stuck with the dad though, that is definitely his dad.” Spencer added. “The shorter of the teen girls doesn’t like that the younger ones look to the oldest aunt as a second mommy, though, watch how she is constantly trying to set herself between them. The taller teen girl just accepts it. Those two sets of families must spend a lot of time together.”

“Social status difference or just region difference between the siblings?”

“Maybe both? Or maybe just assumed? The shorter teen girl is better dressed than the other, and wears make-up and had a more professional hair style, but her siblings not so much. The taller teen and the little blond girl are dancers though, watch how they fidget.”

Hotch and Spencer looked at each with large eyes of dawning realization. “We are profiling other people in Disneyland lines!” Spencer gasped. “I think perhaps this has been too long a vacation!”

Hotch just looked around and smiled.

“Feeling any better?” Spencer asked.

“Much. Who would have thought that lines, loud rides, squealing people and even shopping could be more relaxing than a nice day out as a couple?” Hotch replied.

Spencer laughed. “You should text that to Dave and Morgan right now.”

Hotch laughed. 

“I was talking with Garcia last night, so Jack might have ended up a bit spoiled today… and I heard what Beth said this morning.” Spencer said.

“Oh?” Hotch asked.

“If it’s not acceptable from me alone, we’ll tell him it’s from me and Garcia. She was very firm in her instructions to give Jack the best family vacation I could give him.”

“She knows he wasn’t with Beth Tuesday?”

“Yeah, only because she yelled at me when she thought Beth and Jack day had no photos and I assured her that Tuesday had photos.”

“I can see that. Did you tell her anything about why?” Hotch asked.

“No, but it slipped that she took you off for four hours of Hotch and Jack day.”

Hotch cringed. 

“I’ll text her to let her know that the missed time was made up, plus some. We’ll include a photo or two and she’ll be good. We were both wondering about tomorrow night.” Spencer said.

“Beth will have Jack. I don’t know what they will do, but one of the things that made her mad today was when I told her that tomorrow night she was going to be watching Jack and that there were to be no complaints from any source about it. Also, we will be checking up on them every half hour, you take the on the hour checks and I’ll take the half hour checks. Also can you do one at five thirty? I’ll have left not too long before that. Someone picks me up at 4:45. Ask to talk to Jack. I wish I could find a way for Garcia to nanny it, but I’m at least going to have her stand-by.”

“Seriously?” Spencer asked.

“She’s upset. Beth wanted to go to a play. I was supposed to call UCLA and tell them I was not going to be there and we were supposed to have taken Jack to you since I won’t let her lock him all alone in the hotel room. I told her work came first, as this is technically a working vacation.”

“That’s good, I guess.” Spencer said. “My lectures from five to seven and from seven to nine are on topics Jack didn’t need to hear.”

“What are they on?”

“Sexual identity repression and criminal intentions and the Bio-Chemistry involved in sexual identity repression.” Spencer said. “I’m given them with Roxie Warner, who has been working with me on these ideas for the last four years. We published our papers earlier this year. Now people are trying to replicate our findings. So far, so good.”

“Interesting. Have you given them to anyone in the bureau?”

“I’ve sent copies over to several departments, and of course our department has a copy. I think Garcia has read it.”

Jack pulled on Hotch’s pant leg. “You two ready? I think we’re next.”

Hotch picked up Jack. “You still awake enough?”

“Yep,” Jack said. “Might need a snack after this though, dinner was a while ago.”

“I’m sure we can find something.” Spencer said.

The ride was fun, even though Spencer complained he liked the normal version of the ride better, but Jack pointed out that he needed to ride it so he could mark it on his map. After the ride they went and found snacks, and then wandered around the New Orleans Square, shopping some more. Jack pointed out the ornament store, and found two more ornaments to take home (and talked Spencer into a few more as well and pointed out Nemo ones that would satisfy Garcia’s ‘something from Nemo’ list item). Spencer also ended up with more ears, as they had to stop and get Garcia’s pink pirate ears (“How on earth could you forget them, Spencer?” “They weren’t on her written list!”) and Jack decided Spencer needed some pirate ears as well. Hotch helped Jack pay for it and Jack convinced Spencer to wear it for the rest of the evening. Spencer happily put them on, without any complaints, when he saw the smile it brought to both the Hotchners when he did so.

Finally the crowd from the first showing of Fantasmic had left and it was open for finding seating for the next showing. It was a good thing, Spencer was starting to have a hard time carrying all the bags and not dropping ones which should not be dropped. Hotch, Jack and Spencer found seats front and center, but back enough not to have to kink their necks at any point. Spencer then started looking at and rearranging the stuff in bags and digging in the backpack, with Hotch covering Jack’s eyes and Jack giggling like mad. Spencer signaled that he was ready and Hotch uncovered Jack’s eyes.

“Happy Birthday, Jack. A day early but since I won’t be here to give you things tomorrow, you get them today.” Spencer handed Jack one of the medium sized bags. While Jack opened his gifts, Spencer stuffed what he could into the backpack, like the ornaments. He also consolidated bags where he could.

Jack giggled. “Is even the ones I know about in here?”

“Of course, but we can even open them up, so we know what ones you got.” Spencer said.

Jack pulled out three pins (which were surprises) and had his daddy help put his pins on his lanyard. He pulled two hidden mickey pin pouches and Spencer and he opened them. Jack squealed when he found a Jack Skellington candy corn and a Donald Duck soda bottle. He then pulled out the Star Wars figure sets (Disney characters as the characters of Star Wars and then a set that had a ship and figurines to go with it) and the four boxes of vinylmation figures. He set those aside and reached in again. Jack pulled out several t-shirts and a light saber and the Chewbacca potato head. He pulled out a box of little green alien toys and plushy toys of Woody, Jessie, Bullseye and Buzz Lightyear. Finally Jack pulled out a Mickey Mouse cup filled with magnets and key rings.

“All right,” Hotch said. “Jack might now officially be spoiled.”

Spencer laughed. “I told you, it’s partially Garcia’s fault. To be fair though, getting through JJ’s list for Henry today and Garcia’s list tended towards more buying than I might have otherwise and some of the items are mementoes of Jack and Spencer day more so than birthday gifts, but I gave them to him for his Birthday. However, remind me to start fulfilling lists way early next time we do something like this. And remind me the whole time I don’t really need items to match as well. I’ve never even seen Phineas and Ferb and I ended up buying myself a stuffed Perry the Platypus.”

“I know which are for Jack and Spencer day! The light saber, and the Star Wars T-shirt and the Star Tours pin and the pins of the Mickey Wheel and” Jack paused to look at his lap, “and the pin of Stitch!”

Spencer smiled. “The pin you chose earlier is still in my bags. I didn’t get into our first pins shopping bag. And we have a whole bunch of mystery pins to go through.”

Jack laughed. “I chose Toy Story Mania, because I saw Woody and we went on his ride and I got to tell Spencer all about Toy Story while we were in line. Do we have time to open the vinylmation boxes?”

Spencer looked at his watch. They had about five minutes before the show would start. “At least a few of them. Go for it.”

Jack pulled Fozzie Bear, Sweetums and the Swedish Chef from his Muppets boxes and R2D2 from the Star Wars box. He had no doubles and he loved what he got. He had just tucked everything back into his bag when the show started.

For the next half hour nothing was said beyond outbursts of ‘cool’ and ‘wow’ and ‘incredible’, and such. Lots of gasps and cheering and clapping took place. Spencer had all three cameras going and managed to also just watch. He was very happy he had them out though, because Jack’s face - eyes wide in amazement and beaming with joy - was a sight for sore eyes. Patrick had been correct when he’d told Spencer the show was a must see. It was amazing and Spencer was as enthralled with the show as Jack. He loved the pirates on the ship and Peter Pan, he loved the dragon and Wizard Mickey and he loved the old Mickey at the helm of the riverboat. Hotch’s face was as full of delight as Jack, and Spencer made sure to get that on film as well.

When it was over, Jack looked over to his adults. “That was so cool! I liked it way better than the Color one.”

“Worth a late night?” Spencer asked.

“So worth a late night.” Hotch answered.

“The park is open for another hour, anything we need to do?” Spencer asked.

“Find a black and white mickey pin!” Jack shouted.

“I agree. I saw one at the emporium and it’s near the exit.” Spencer said.

“Reid! You’ve turned my child into a pin junkie!” 

Spencer just laughed. “Get your stuff and let’s go!”

Spencer led the way back to the big shop and he and Jack found their old time Mickey pins, in honor of the coolest show at Disneyland and added Peter Pan pins and Wizard Mickey pins. They managed to get out of the store with only their pins and a two Mystery pins a piece and a dollar pouch pin, and a Hotch in hysterics laughing at them. Spencer took pictures.

As they exited the store Jack spoke up. “We didn’t go through my shopping list.”

Hotch nodded his head. “How about some dessert at the Hotel if anyplace that serves kids is still open?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Spencer agreed.

The restaurant was still open when they got back from the parks and so Spencer, Hotch and Jack sat down to desserts and hot chocolate. They pulled out maps and lists and started looking over them, crossing things off. Jack’s list ended up only about three items by the time his dad and Spencer had finished with it…a t-shirt with Goofy on it, a stuffed Perry the Platypus (“You should have told us while buying Garcia’s and mine.” “Spencer, I want to buy it myself!”), and a jacket. He also had listed - find a present for Aunt Jess. Hotch suggested a coffee mug but Jack wanted something special, he just didn’t know what yet. Garcia’s list was down to a fairy wand from one of the princess stores and the dwarves in some form and villains in some form and something Peter Pan. JJ’s list was down to one item, a jungle vest for Will. Spencer laughed and said if they didn’t get one at Disneyland, he knew where to go to get one elsewhere.

“From your bag in your closet?” Jack asked.

“No, not the one from my closet, Jack. I’m going to need it in February.” Spencer said.

“You have Jungle clothes in your closet?” Hotch asked.

“No, I have clothing to wear to dig sites when Patrick is in charge in my closet. I have a small suitcase labeled ‘for digs’.”

“You go work on digs for vacation time?” Hotch asked.

“Sometimes.” Spencer answered.

“Huh. So, how’s your list, Spencer?” Hotch asked.

Spencer smiled. “I’ve souvenirs for everyone in the team, including you, and Jess. And I’m pretty good with my own too. Heck, after shopping for Garcia and with no one to rein me in, I way over good with mine. However there is still a good deal of money on my ‘for Disneyland’ card and my ‘pin trading’ card, so I don’t care. However like Jack, I think I want a jacket. Mickey mouse or maybe one of the other main characters, maybe Star Wars. No Jack Skellington. We can pick it up on Saturday.”

“We’re going Saturday?” Hotch asked.

“For some of the day. Garcia got a good deal on a ticket for Jack and the rest of us will have days left on our five day passes.”

“Besides Dad, we need to go on Splash Mountain with Spencer still.” Jack said.

“Not to mention we need to go do the essential family pictures still.” Spencer said.

“Family pictures?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah. You and Jack in front of Walt and Mickey, in front of the big Mickey Pumpkin, in front of the castle, in the Toad’s ride car…” Spencer said.

“And Daddy, we have to go back to Toontown, if we can’t go tomorrow.” Jack said.

“Garcia thought we could go like half the day and then go to the beach in the afternoon when it is warmer.” Spencer said. “What were your plans for Saturday?”

“As far as I know, we didn’t have any. Beth just said she was sick and tired of the park.” Hotch said.

“After Monday?” Spencer asked.

Hotch raised his palm to his forehead. “Sorry, I forgot. When she said that it had been in the midst of trying to convince me she had actually spent all Tuesday with Jack and that Jack was lying to me and you were going along with him because you wanted more pay for taking care of him that extra day, it was all a plan you two had hatched together to make her look bad and ruin our relationship.”

Spencer raised his eyebrows.

“Um….did you tell her you weren’t paying me at all for the time I spent with Jack?” Spencer asked.

“You could pay him, Daddy. People pay babysitters all the time.” Jack added.

“Your dad doesn’t need to pay me Jack. It’s been all good for me.” Spencer said.

Hotch shook his head. “I didn’t reply at all. I had already gone through several rounds where I did and she just kept on and got more and more loud and insistent, so I had moved on to the don’t respond and maybe she’ll get bored with it all stage.”

“How’d that work?” Spencer asked, sounding curious.

“She finished trying on shoes and finding matching bags and went to buy them, where she demanded my credit card, again, and I told her no, again, and she moved on to complaining to the clerk about how horrid I was making her pay for her own items and didn’t the clerk agree. Then she gave me the silent treatment while we traveled to the next store.”

“So it worked?”

“Spencer, she was trying on shoes for two hours, she ranted the whole time, unless she was talking to the sales person who was bringing her shoes. Then she was all lovey dovey and cooing at me.”

“Two hours?” Spencer asked.

“Two hours.”

“What did you do?” Spencer asked.

“Sat. If I picked up my phone to call anyone or do anything else, she started yelling at me about ignoring her and threatening to cry.”

Spencer looked at Hotch with a horrified expression and then turned to Jack. “Remember when I said I wasn’t sure I was good with little girls and probably not big ones either?”

Jack said “Yeah, but you were great with the little girls. You were very patient and kind to them, even when they giggled a lot and asked you to hold them.”

Spencer beamed. “Thanks Jack. However I’m pretty sure I’d not be good with big girls, especially ones who shopped in shoe stores for two hours.”

“Haven’t you gone shopping with Auntie Penny?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, and I didn’t run away screaming but Garcia’s different. She lets me bring books and puts games on my phone and lets me go look other places if I get bored.”

“Besides shopping with Garcia is always entertaining.” Hotch added.

“Huh,” said Jack.

Spencer looked at his watch and sighed. “I think Jack and Spencer day has to come to an end. I have to go work tomorrow. My first lecture is at nine. Hotch, want to give me the bags?”

“Just take the backpack. It will be easier.”

“Jack, do you want to come up with me and get your stuff I still have or just have me put it in a ‘for Jack’ pile?”

“You have a for Jack pile?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah, I might have done most our shopping today, but I’ve done some all the other days as well. Jack did his shopping for Henry yesterday.”

“Yeah, I owe Spencer about twenty dollars probably. I got Henry some stuffed jungle guys.”

“Nah, you’re good Jack. If you’re worried about it, you can give me back what is in your lanyard pouch when we’re all done with Disneyland and we know you won’t need it anymore.”

“Spencer, you silly. That was your money to start with.”

“Yeah, but I was going to let you keep it.”

Hotch laughed at the two. “We’ll figure it out. Keep Jack’s stuff and add it to his pile. Night Spencer.”

Hotch handed Spencer the backpack, which he slipped on with his satchel. Spencer waved and dragged himself and all the other bags up to his room. 

Spencer looked at the bags he dropped to the floor as he entered the room, and to the backpack he’d shrugged off, and to his own satchel. Then he looked at the clock. He sighed, turned on his lap top and went to wash up. It had been a long day. A good day, but a long day. He exited the shower having come to only one decision in it. Get his satchel ready to go for the next day. He pulled out all the packages and random items from his satchel, and filled it with his notes and papers needed for the next day. He took the bigger camera out, checked the other two, and set battery packs to charge. He set his phone to charge. He dug out his ipod and set it to charge as well. Finally he made sure his laptop was plugged in and charging. He unpacked Hotch’s backpack as well while he looked at his email. There was a consult that the LAPD wanted seen to, but Spencer decided he’d do it during downtime tomorrow. He put all the bags in his suitcase, which would not shut and turned out the main lights, leaving the bathroom light on still. Before he’d been down for two minutes, he sat right back up, turned on his light, and grabbed his maps. He made sure his maps were complete and made notes where he’d seen Disney personnel with pins to trade. Hotch may not be happy with the new hobby, but Jack had been so happy and anything that gave him good thoughts to focus on instead of bad ones was something good in Spencer’s mind. He tucked his pen and maps back into his satchel, and tucked his lanyard into it as well. Then he turned out the light and went back to sleep.


	10. chapter 10

Aaron watched as Spencer shouldered the backpack and gathered all the bags. Jack was yawning and starting to droop. It was time to get the child to bed. 

“Hey, buddy?”

“Yeah, Daddy?”

“Think you can make it up to the room.”

“Yep, I can make it.”

Jack swayed as he stood. Aaron grabbed Jack’s bag and then lifted the child into his arms. Jack nuzzled his chin down into Aaron’s collarbone and he could feel his son’s breath even out in sleep. 

For the life of him, though, he couldn’t feel like a bad parent for keeping him up late. The last few hours had been worth their length in gold, silver and titanium all together. Jack had been happy and bright eyed and so joy filled. The laughter was sweet and pure and not held back. He’d been missing that.

Carrying his child through the hotel even as late as it was garnered no negative looks, just fond smiles. Aaron was in a good mood when he slid the key and opened the door - A good mood that lasted all of about ten milliseconds from the first step into the room.

Beth was leaning against the door to her bedroom, wearing a sexy nighty and a very unsexy scowl. The lights were off in the main room, however the lights in his and Jack’s bedroom were on as was a lamp in Beth’s bedroom. The light from their room kept Beth visible as Aaron shut the hotel room’s door.

“Where were you?” She asked. She tried to stand taller but swayed and leaned back against the door.

“I joined Spencer and Jack for the show Fantasmic after I was done with the conference.”

“Why would you do that? Hello? You had already told the freak that he could keep the boy at the park till closing; you had no obligations to either of them at all. You should have been just itching to come back to this.” She pointed to herself.

“They asked?” Aaron said. Jack squirmed and started to wake.

“Let me go put Jack to bed.” Aaron continued.

“Just set him down and come to me, he’ll be fine just there in that chair.”

“I’ll put him in bed, where he belongs.”

“No! Just put him down now! I needed you Aaron and you’ve made me wait. You’ve been a very bad boy.”

Aaron rolled his eyes and walked by. The bag swung as Aaron passed.

“What is that?” Beth hissed.

“Birthday presents and mementos of Jack and Spencer day. It is Jack’s Birthday, you know. Spencer bought his presents today since he won’t be there to do so tomorrow.”

“You should see if you can return them. That child doesn’t need anything else; he’s already been ridiculously spoiled.”

“How do you figure? I’ll be right back to hear this.”

Aaron went to the other bedroom and put Jack into bed, pulling off his shoes and socks and removing his bag. He set the gifts in his suitcase and zipped it up, locking it. Then he went back to the main room and closed the door so their voices wouldn’t wake Jack, as long as they weren’t screaming. The only light was now from Beth’s room and not very strong.

“Well, the child’s in bed. Come here now!” Beth demanded when he reached where the couch was sitting. He went to turn on the light. “Don’t, the brightness is annoying.”

“No, I’m not letting you distract me this time. I want to know your answer. How is Jack ridiculously spoiled?”

“Are you kidding me? You want to talk about the boy now? When you could be with me? I’m all dressed-up for you; I’ve been waiting for you. You were supposed to come running right to me the moment that stupid conference was over so you could spend the rest of your child free night focusing on what you should have been spending this whole trip focusing on in the first place!”

“And what is that?”

“Me, Aaron. Me! Not the walking computer with the social skills of a baboon and not your spoiled brat of a child, Me!”

“Really?” Aaron asked, a bit stunned.

“How did you not know this?” Beth asked. Aaron had trouble reading her expressions really well until she leaned against the other side of her bedroom door. He slid open the drapes to give a bit more light into the room but the room was still mostly dark. At least he was no longer feeling trapped in a cave.

“How was I supposed to know this? I am positively certain that I’m not here on a couple’s retreat, in which case your idea of what the purpose of the vacation would make sense. I am pretty darn certain that I’m here to **work** and have a FAMILY vacation around that. I thought you realized that as well.”

“And I thought you loved me and would treat me accordingly. Don’t you love me, Aaron?”

Aaron stopped himself from the automatic response he’d been given for months every time she used those words and that tone and looked hard at Beth. She was wearing the same puppy eye face that Reid used to beg cookies from Garcia and Emily had used to get Reid to do case files for her and that Morgan used to talk Reid into going out bar hopping with him. It wasn’t real; it was there only for manipulative purposes. He stopped himself there because he didn’t want to consider how long he’d been letting himself get played by it.

“What do you even mean by that?” Aaron said.

Beth’s face turned into a scowl.

“You get this opportunity to take a week and do pretty much nothing, and what do you choose? Nothing right, that’s for sure. You should have told Miss Garcia to a) keep her nose in her own business and b) that you and I would be traveling here, together, alone. End of story. Because that is what you do with a girlfriend. You take _her_ places and do things with _her_. But no, she gets you the jobs down here and says ‘You should spend time with your son’ and did you tell her no? No! Did you tell her ‘I should spend that time with my girlfriend, like a good significant other would do’? No! You said. ‘Oh, that would be wonderful!’ and then you said ‘Oh, maybe we should invite Beth.’ Like I was an afterthought! The woman in your life should always be your first thought, not an afterthought. Always! And then we ended up with the oddest person in your whole work team, the weird one. But I know he is this over achiever do-gooder annoying person who would walk through fire for your approval, so I though…hey, I could make this work. I could salvage this trip and turn it into what you should have wanted in the first place! And will you just go with the flow and let it happen? No! Because we _are_ here with the freak, who doesn’t think I should be most important thing in your existence. And because your spoiled brat always comes first and even when I can make you forget about him in order to teach him the true and real way of life the freak goes and reminds you of your spoiled brat and you go off running like a fool and idiot! And the stupid job always comes first and the freak won’t just be a good subordinate and take on your duties, oh no, again with the reminding you that he wasn’t the one asked and all…and where is that putting me, who you are supposed to be thinking about and worshiping? Maybe a distant third! Which is stupid of you, he’s not going to give you want you need. He can’t give you hot sex and people looking at you like you must be wonderful because you have someone like me by your side, so I don’t get why you bother to listen to him at all. I’m the only one who should count because I’m where you’re going to find your pleasure and feed your rampaging urges.” By the time she was half way through the rant; Aaron noticed her slightly slurred speech and could smell the alcohol in the room.

He decided to keep her talking though. He’d had enough of being confused, maybe in this state she’d shed some light on things. Not that she really was, because much of what she was saying wasn’t making a whole lot of sense. And what he was she talking about anyway? Jack was who she’d listed as him putting ahead of her, but it sounded more like she was talking about maybe...Reid? Heaven’s all mighty! It was too late at night for this! Especially after a whole day of being ranted at.

“But you agreed to come?” Aaron pointed out.

“Of course. Why would I not? I’m in sunny California and Hollywood and top notch shopping is right here. Not to mention this is home of all the beautiful people.”

“And you agreed to how we set up the days.”

“I might have agreed, but I didn’t plan on sticking to it. I was absolutely certain you’d see things my way and I’d get my vacation. I always get you to see things my way.”

“But I never even knew you weren’t happy with how things were planned out.” Aaron said.

“How could you not know? I just don’t understand how someone with the kind of job you have can be so stupid. It’s very simple. If you love me, then you should know when you get the chance it should be about making me happy! Giving me what I want. Seeing things my way and having it be my way and never questioning what I say as being the correct version.”

Aaron looked at Beth. He thought about the whole day of listening to rants. “Does it work both ways?”

Beth stopped and looked at Aaron as if he’s sprouted a new head. “What do you mean?”

“If you love me, should it ever be about what I want and like and about making me happy?”

“Aaron, men are only truly happy when the women they love are happy… and they are getting sex. As long as I adore you, and praise you in public and tell you how strong and handsome and wonderful you are, you should be content. When I offer my body to you for sex you should be positively giddy. That together is all any real male needs. Your happiness comes in making me happy, spending money on me, showing others how rich and powerful you are by how well I look and how well I charm important people.”

“You’ve been drinking, haven’t you?” Aaron asked.

“Well, I had to spend my time in some way. I thought that stupid conference would be over at like nine. If you really loved me, of course, you would have skipped the whole thing, made the nerd do it. But I thought about it and what I like most about you comes from you having the kind of job that makes you important enough to speak at conferences where really important people might see you. I was certain you’d be back though, how could you not have been thinking that tonight would be the best night to have sex with me? That should have been all you thought about all week.”

“Why?”

“Hello? You’ve been sleeping next door to this,” Beth said, once again waving her hands down her body, “and not been able to do anything due to your brat being too close and you being all ‘oh can’t do it with Jack here’. Of course all you’ve been thinking about is when you could have sex with me. I even provided you with more opportunities to think about it yesterday with the massage. Don’t try to tell me you didn’t think the whole time about having sex with me right there? And today, when we were shopping? Watching me try on shoes and waiting while I was stripping in dressing rooms? Watching my legs lift and shoes slide on? Of course you were thinking the whole time of sex. You always are thinking about how you want this, how you can’t wait to get this. How much you are just aching for sex, with me of course.”

Aaron just looked at her. He hadn’t actually thought about sex once at any of those times. Well, he thought about having an inappropriate erection while getting the massage, but never sex with Beth. He sighed. The conversation was getting more and more, well odd, and he was really too tired to deal with it.

“Beth, I’m going to bed. We do have Jack’s Birthday Lunch to get to, at the park at about 11:30. Do try to think about something to get Jack for his birthday.”

“Finally, I’ve been waiting and waiting! Well, get a move on it, strip off.”

“Um, no. I’m going to my bed. Good night!”

Beth’s screech of fury made Aaron consider that had she been able to stand straight, she’d have been throwing things and chased after him. He shut the door to his and Jack’s room and locked it for the night.

Aaron awoke the next morning to Jack trying to figure out why the door didn’t open right up. Aaron looked at the clock and realized it was seven-thirty and right around Jack’s preferred wakeup time.

“Hey Buddy!” Aaron said, sitting up.

“Daddy, it’s my birthday! I want to watch cartoons until we’re ready to go to breakfast. And I want pancakes for breakfast, with blueberries. When are we getting breakfast?”

“I’ll figure out that out right quick. Let me get the TV ready.” Aaron got out of bed and unlocked to the door, looked at the main room and then turned back to Jack.

“How about you wash up first? You can take a bath. It would great to have a clean birthday boy, wouldn’t it?” Aaron asked. Luckily Jack agreed. Aaron made sure the connecting door to Beth’s bedroom was closed and locked and filled the tub up for Jack while Jack got together his clothing for the day.

The moment Jack was splashing and having fun in the tub, Aaron went to deal with the so not pleasant surprise he’d found in the front room. Of all the irresponsible and ridiculous behavior he’d seen the night before, this was making him angry. He remembered Beth saying not to turn on the light and he suspected it was more for the reasons he saw now and less about how the light would annoy her. Although, given the mass amount of empty and spilled little bottles of alcohol of various descriptions, maybe the light would have hurt as well. He quickly put all the bottles in the trash, and cracked open the window to start trying to air out the room. He turned on the TV and the quickly turned it right back off, when it popped up to porn. Anger was now an understatement for what he was feeling. He found the remote and turned down the volume and then set to work getting the TV back to children’s programing and off what seemed to be paid porn. He so wasn’t looking forward to trying to explain that to Garcia.

When he finally had the room to where Jack could enter it without scarring him for life, even though it still smelled to high heavens, he turned and looked towards Beth’s bedroom, where she was passed out draped across the bed with her nighty twisted up past her waist and her rear end hanging out of tiny undies, snoring so loudly he was certain they could not only hear her in the rooms on either side, but in those below and above them and across the hall. His answer to that was to shut her bedroom door. As he did so, he saw an empty Champaign bottle and a single glass. Apparently, he was supposed to have found it sexy to share, go figure. What on earth had the woman been thinking when she left things like this?

Jack came out and sat in front of the TV. “Are we going to breakfast soon?”

“As soon as Daddy washes up, we’ll go to breakfast.”

“All right,” Jack said, turning his focus to the TV. “Daddy, why does it smell funny in here?”

“I’ll find out the full reason later, don’t worry about it. You watch the pirate show and I’ll be ready before it’s over.”

Aaron let the heat of his shower melt away at the anger he felt, leaving it a nice simmering irritation. He’d been hoping for a good fun filled day all together and it wasn’t the best start. He briefly wondered if at least Reid was having a good day. He hadn’t been able to tell if Reid was looking forward to being back on his old campus, or not. He couldn’t wait to go home and tell Garcia that she’d been so very wrong when she’d guessed Reid had never been Disneyland. Aaron left the shower much less stressed than he started and quickly dressed and joined Jack to finish watching the pirate show.

He woke Beth up long enough to inform her they were heading down to breakfast and would be back in about a half hour to forty minutes and so she should be ready to go then and ask her if she wanted them to bring her anything. When Jack asked if she wanted anything for breakfast Aaron answered that she said no. Actually she answered to get the hell out of the room and she didn’t want to deal with anything yet, she wasn’t feeling good at all, but Aaron chose not to repeat that to Jack.

They found Jack’s pancakes and Jack told his daddy all about what he wanted to do for the day, where he wanted to go and what he wanted to ride on. They agreed to hit Toontown and then over to the California Adventure park for rides there. Aaron promised to get Jack to his special lunch and to find him a Birthday Badge. They stretched out breakfast for an hour and then headed up to the room again to get their gear ready to go to Disneyland.

Beth was up, and covered in a long silk robe which Aaron didn’t remember seeing before, when they got back.

“Why aren’t you ready to go to the park, Beth?” Jack asked.

“Stop screaming!” Beth hissed. “God, can’t you people be quiet? Show a little respect for those suffering pain and torment.”

“Are you sick?” Jack whispered.

“I said shut up!” she screamed, and then whimpered. “Aaron, remove your demon from my sight, now!”

Aaron was feeling a bit…well… he could only call it pissy. “I will when I’m ready to, but we haven’t even got our stuff together yet. You’ll just have to deal with it, Beth.” Aaron said in a normal voice.

Beth groaned. “Why are you being so mean to me?” She whined. Jack just stared at her, looking a bit worried before running into the room Aaron had gone into to get their stuff together for Disneyland.

“Is she sick, Daddy?” Jack asked.

“Not really. Furthermore what she is is her fault. She engaged in activities last night that were not good for her, and because of that she is reaping the consequences this morning.” Aaron explained.

“Is it kind of like two Halloweens ago when I ate all my candy in one day and was icky the next day?” Jack asked.

“It is.”

Jack checked his bag, and found his jacket. He watched his dad check his suitcase, pulling out a small backpack which he put his camera in and bottled water and snacks, and then made sure everything was in it, and then lock it tight again. His dad checked Jack’s suitcase as well and then locked it. Aaron sent Jack into the other room and then set his suitcase in the closet with Jack’s set diagonally on top of it, the locks resting right near each other and Jack’s tag tucked so the words were face out. He joined Jack outside the room and then shut the door tight. The light being on the night before was bugging him still.

“We are going now. Lunch is at 11:30 at the Plaza Inn. Do not miss it.”

“Aaron, aren’t you going to stay here and make me feel better?” Beth whined.

“No, I’m taking my son and we are having family day at the park. It is my son’s birthday today, remember? Since you chose to behave in a manner that brought this on, not only am I not going to stay here and baby you, especially when it would be a detriment to my son; I’m not going to feel bad at all for not being here.” Aaron told her.

“I was right, you don’t love me. You only love him.” Beth started sniffling.

“You had better hope that this is just the hangover talking, Beth.” Aaron said. “Now, we’d like to have you join us before lunch. Give me a call when you get to the parks and I’ll tell you where we are at.”

“I can’t believe your leaving me like this!” Beth shouted. 

“See you later, Beth. 11:30, oh and remember, it is a Birthday Party.” 

Aaron took Jack’s hand and they left. As they entered the park, Aaron asked one of the Disney workers where he could get one of the Birthday badges, and one was procured for Jack. He had his dad pin it on his lanyard. They headed to Toontown via the train, and Aaron helped Jack try and take pictures of the Dinosaurs. Aaron rode on the Roger Rabbit ride and the go coasters with Jack. They rode Autopia, the monorail and the submarines again. Jack couldn’t find blood anywhere near the railing in the submarine line, much to Aaron’s delight. Jack took his Dad on Star Tours and they caught part of the Jedi Training show. They stopped in stores a few times, where Jack’s dad made purchases while Jack was distracted by someone else somewhere else. Disney Cast Members were very understanding. They walked through the Castle and then caught the omnibus to ride to the end of Main Street and they got off and took pictures of the Mickey pumpkin. They rode the fire engine up Main Street. They got off at the Partners statue, and Jack took pictures of Walt and Mickey, and then of all the little statues and all the pumpkins. By then it was near enough time for Jack’s lunch that they went to the Plaza Inn. Their wait was not for their time to be seated, but for Beth to get there.

She arrived at 11:45 and she was in a mood. Jack saw her first and raised his eyebrows in a mix of confusion and disbelief. Aaron looked to see what he was making such a face at and his face was one of exasperation. She was dressed up, heals and make-up done more along the lines of a night on the town or off to a fancy restaurant. She was wearing a skirt that was clearly tailored to be tight and sophisticated, but didn’t match with the top which was obviously meant more for seduction. The whole outfit was not meant for a day at the park. She had a purse, but no gift that Aaron could see.

“Glad you could join us,” Aaron said.

“Oh, Aaron,” she simpered, “of course I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I can’t believe you started without me here, though.”

“I told you 11:30. It’s all right though, you haven’t missed cake and Mickey and Minnie.”

“Oh.” Beth sounded highly disappointed.

“And I haven’t opened presents yet!” Jack said excitedly.

Beth turned and glared at Aaron. “You got him more presents?”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Of course I did.”

“I know what stores they came from, but I don’t know what they are yet! Daddy bought them without me seeing!”

Aaron smiled. “Would you like me to order you something to eat, Beth?”

“Oh, no. Not right now. You can get me something later.”

“Well then, I guess it is time for cake.”

Jack enjoyed the rest of his Birthday Lunch, with his hat and cake and getting pictures with Mickey and Minnie and his dad. There were candles to blow out and finally his dad pulled out his presents. There was a new jacket, just the one he had wanted and his dad had found him a Buzz Lightyear T-shirt and bought him a Bullseye pillow pet and a Buzz Lightyear potato head. He also produced a pin of Mickey in a Birthday hat. Aaron and Jack had stopped at the star wars store, but Aaron figured he’d better talk to Spencer before buying anything in there.

“We’ll look later as well, I want to go to that Muppet store you found.” Aaron told Jack. Jack beamed and gave his dad huge hugs.

Aaron looked at Beth, but she was busy glaring at Jack.

The rest of the cake was boxed up and Aaron gathered the presents into a large bag and put the cake in the bottom.

“Are we going to take that back to the hotel, Dad? I don’t think we could take it on rides with us.” Jack asked. “Then we could just go straight to the other park from there.”

“Sounds like a plan, buddy. Then Beth could get dressed to come with us to the park.”

“But we aren’t going to the park, Aaron. I checked and we could get into one of those ‘tour of the stars homes’ this afternoon. We are going on that. I am sure you remember me telling you about wanting to do that.” Beth said. 

“I am not and you did not. Furthermore, it wouldn’t have mattered if you did. I finally get a birthday to spend with my son for the most part and there is no way I am not taking the opportunity and making the most I can out of it. Don’t even start.”

“Aaron,” Beth started sniffling. “You don’t want to do this here, now do you?”

“There’s nothing to do, Beth. Jack, let’s go.”

Jack left and Beth stood as well, waiting till Aaron had almost reached the door before wailing. “I knew you would never keep your promises to me, tossing me to the side for your son each time.”

Dumbfounded, Aaron looked her way. Her face was very tragic looking and she seemed near tears, holding her purse near her heart. However as soon as he seemed to look away, she allowed a smirk to pass over her expression, a very self-satisfied smirk. Aaron saw what Spencer had told him about, the glory in being mean and how purposefully it was done. Wednesday, or the day before even, Aaron probably would have fallen for it and given in so not to make a scene. But Beth neglected to understand how important getting to spend Jack’s birthday with him was to Aaron.

“Beth, you agreed months ago, at the start of planning this vacation, that you would join me and my son at the parks today for his birthday and that together we would make it a great birthday for him. You said it would be a joy, as you so want to learn to be a mother to him. You then proceeded to not join us today at all, show up late to his special lunch and show up without a birthday present. We won’t mention this morning’s issues since we are in public and I know you wouldn’t want people to know of that, now would you? Besides, what type of father would I be if I didn’t take the chance I was given to spend my son’s birthday with him?”

“Are you calling me a liar, Aaron?” Beth hissed.

“Do you want me to actually spell it that far out for you? I will if you really want me to. I will see you back at the hotel.”

Aaron swept out of the restaurant and met Jack, who was waiting patiently.

“Let’s go get the rest of the day started.” Aaron tells Jack.

“You really didn’t know about going anywhere else this afternoon, Dad?” Jack asks as they head back to the hotel.

“I promise you, I never heard a thing about it.”

“You said yesterday you were ignoring her some of the time, though.”

“I suppose I ought to have phrased that better, and not said it to Reid while you could hear. I was listening, hearing what she said the whole time she was talking, whining, ranting or even cussing at me yesterday, I just chose not to respond to it. I didn’t let my body respond much and definitely had stopped letting my face respond.”

“Oh. Do you ever do that with me?” Jack asked his dad.

“No. And I don’t do that with Jessica, or even Garcia, Morgan, JJ or Rossi. And I only do that with Reid when he gets into one of those rambles where he forgets the rest of us aren’t as smart as he is and I no long can understand three fourths his words.”

Jack giggled. “He gets a look when he starts to get that way, you know? Patrick nudged him and Spencer snapped out and turned the information to Jack terms.”

“He does?” Aaron asked.

Jack laughed. “Daddy, you need to pay better attention.”

They tucked the cake into the small fridge, and Aaron sent Jack to set the bag in the bedroom.

“Dad? Were you needing something from my sock and swimsuit pocket?”

Aaron swept into the bedroom, and sure enough the suitcases weren’t how he’d stacked them. 

“This pair of socks was on the floor.” Jack said, tossing the socks to his dad.

Aaron glared and then took Jack’s suitcase off the top of his, unlocking and placing the new bag in with the old one. He resettled them, putting Jack’s socks away while he did.

“Maybe they fell out when you got this morning’s socks out.” Jack said. “Oh, that’s what I want! Socks! Disney socks and we should get Spencer some. He’d love Disney socks!”

Aaron laughed. Jack was right. 

“You almost ready?” Aaron asked.

“I want to get a new water bottle. Mine is almost done.” Jack said.

Aaron refit Jack’s bag with water bottles and snacks, and refit his own pack with water. Beth came in just before they were going to leave.

“Where are you going? I told you, we are heading off for a tour of the stars homes.” Beth said.

“And I told you, Jack and I are heading to the California Adventure Park. You can join us, or you can go do your tour. However, this is non-negotiable and not up for discussion at all. You are the babysitter tonight, and that I do actually have in writing, remember? Might not be an honest to goodness contract, but it would hold up in court, so you will call me by 3:30 and be wherever we are by 4. You will mind Jack tonight while Reid and I are working.”

“Aaron,” Beth whined. “If you…

“Don’t even start. We are adults, Beth. We are supposed to have moved beyond those games and frankly, I’ve become not so fond of them.”

“You know, it wouldn’t be that bad if you did what I want. We could drop the child with the geek on that campus. I know campuses have daycare programs, I’m sure he’d have fun.”

“No. Would you like us to wait for you so you could join us at the park?”

Beth sat on the couch and turned her head away from them.

“I’ll call you and remind you and see you at four then. Bye.” Aaron said and walked out.

Jack pulled his dad’s sleeve as they exited the hotel. “Do all girls act like that?” he asked.

“Good Lord,” Aaron moaned. “I hope not. And I am hoping this is just an aberration and things go back to normal once we are all back home.”

Jack stopped walking and just looked at his dad with a ‘you’ve got to be kidding me face’.

“You don’t think it is then, either?” Aaron asked Jack.

Jack shook his head. Aaron sighed.

“Worry about it later, Dad. We’ve got a birthday to celebrate!” Jack said, smiling.

Jack pulled his daddy to all the rides in the California Adventure Park that he’d circled. They hit the Toy Story and Mickey Wheel first, Toy story again and the carousel and Goofy’s flight school, and then they decided to do get fast passes for the river run and the tower and enjoyed the Animation building and Muppets and Monsters Inc. again while waiting for their fast passes times. Then they did the river run, and went to the store where Jack found the Muppet stuff the day before and Aaron bought himself some Muppet items, and Jack some more items and Jack uncovered a Muppets Star Wars set which Aaron agreed they had to buy for Reid and then Aaron bought Reid an Animal figurine, in honor of all the interesting things he’d learned about Reid over the vacation. Hotch discussed with Jack what he should get everyone for his team as souvenirs, and Jack suggested small stuffed critters. Jack said he wanted to get everyone on the team a souvenir too and had been thinking that he could get them coffee cups, since they’d use them all the time. Aaron thought it was a wonderful idea. They picked up a stuffed Kermit and Scooter for Henry, and a stuffed Sully holding Boo for JJ and a stuffed Mike for Will. Aaron also picked up a stuffed Beaker, but he wasn’t sure that it would go to Reid yet or not. Jack picked some other Vinylmation boxes out for more of his birthday, and Aaron also bought him some stuffed Muppets for his birthday. They also started their ‘socks from Disneyland’ collection for Reid. Aaron called to remind Beth she was supposed to call him by three thirty, they rode the Tower of Terror and then Aaron called her again while they stood in line to ride the tower again. After riding the Tower of Terror the second time, they wandered through Bug’s life waiting for Beth to call them. They even rode on two rides as they waited. Beth called at 3:35 and Aaron told her to meet them by Ariel’s ride, but she said she wanted to meet in Disneyland on Main Street.

She was waiting for them by the ice cream shop and Aaron had high hopes that she was willing to take the rest of the evening seriously. She was dressed in sensible shoes and jeans and t-shirt. Aaron checked his watch and they decided they had enough time to hit the big store before he had to go. Beth refused to go in. They bought socks for Jack and Reid (and two pairs for Henry so he and Jack and Spencer could all have matching socks, and wasn’t the excitement in Jack’s face when he thought about that something to behold) there and then Aaron left Jack his ticket, zipping it into the pouch on his lanyard along with a wad of cash.

Beth was waiting outside the store, glaring. 

“I’ve got to go now, you take care and be good and stay safe and try to have fun.” Aaron told Jack, kissing his cheek.

“Beth, try to have fun with him, it is his birthday. And remember to feed him,” Aaron said handing Beth two twenties, “and have a good evening.” He kissed Beth on the cheek, which made her preen even while she glared at Jack, which Aaron still saw.

Aaron took all the shopping bags with him and headed back to the hotel to get dressed for giving his lecture and make it to where he needed to be on time, although someone was picking him up at 4:45 so if he was late it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t until he’d entered his hotel room, locked his packages in the suitcase again and was in the shower that he realized Beth never actually asked for Jack’s ticket and also didn’t know Jack had it. He shrugged. It was a perfect excuse for a first call.

He and his ride hit the front of the hotel at the same time and Aaron called Beth from the car.

“Oh, Aaron,” Beth answered. “I didn’t expect to hear from you. Have you left yet? I just can’t figure out what to feed Jack. He has to eat properly, you know.”

“That terraced area by the Space Mountain ride serves burgers. Can I talk to Jack quick?”

“Why would you want to do that?” Beth asked.

“Because I forgot to tell him something.”

“Oh, well then, here.”

“Hi, Dad.” Jack said. Aaron was very glad he’d taught Jack how to talk on cell phones.

“Hey buddy, how are things?”

“Not too bad, we are just wandering about and Beth won’t let me use my camera. She made me zip it tight in my bag. She said we might go on the Snow White ride, and Pinocchio’s ride and the toad ride.”

“Those would be good rides to go on with her.”

“They would be fun.”

“Now, when she goes looking for your ticket later tell her you have it, because she forgot to ask for it. You can carry it though, and use it yourself, she doesn’t need it. She just needs to know you have when she asks.”

“All right, Dad, love you and miss you.”

“Love you too, Jack. Give the phone back to Beth now.”

“Beth here. Why was he talking about rides?”

“He said you thought of taking him on those.”

“Oh, yeah. I think we will go on those.”

“That would be good. You haven’t been on them yet.”

“True, this section was too crowded when we went through it on Monday.”

“But we had a good time on the canal boats and It’s a Small World Monday.” Aaron said.

“I suppose. Anyway, do you have any idea how long you’ll be gone for?”

“I just left, Beth. The seminar starts at 6pm and is slated to run till 9pm.”

“Can’t you explain to them that you need it shorter?”

“Why do I need it shorter?”

“Because you are supposed to be doing stuff with Me tonight!”

“No, I’m supposed to be working tonight. There were never plans to do anything with you this evening.”

“Aaron,” Beth whined over the phone. “You just don’t lo…”

“Beth, I don’t have time to listen to this right now. Go, have fun and stop pouting that you didn’t get your way. You know it was not going to ever happen tonight and that tonight was about working, now you’re just making a fuss to make one. I’ve got to go over my notes. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Don’t you dismiss me like that!” Beth snarled loud enough to be heard by the guy driving Aaron. “I’m the one who is hanging up, see!”

The phone went dead.

“Wife?” The man driving asked.

“Not yet, but she says she wants to be.” Aaron answered.

“My advice? Don’t go there man. This is one you need to cut loose. My first wife, she was like that from about six months after we started dating, except only around some people. People she thought would keep her with me she was angelic to. She couldn’t handle my job at all though. We divorced about three years later, and she didn’t even want the kids. Left me a single dad with a toddler and baby. However, the right girl came along after a few more close calls. She adores my kids; she is supportive of my job and all those I work with. Anyone of my team mates gets hurt, she’s there asking what she can do, making sure their families are supported. She is wonderful.”

“You are a lucky man.”

“I had to wake up a bit, though. She wasn’t this great beauty, you see. Not ugly, but kind of plain and sort of fades into the background look wise. A friend of a friend. I’d seen her and even talked to her several times, just not paying attention. But she helped me out of a bind and I took her out to dinner to thank her and we actually spoke to each other without being surrounded by all sorts of other people and it was relaxed and fun and when I went home that night I realized I felt like I was walking on air and worth a million dollars and I wanted to feel like that again.”

“I certainly never come out of an encounter with this one feeling that way lately.”

“I could tell.”

Aaron pulled out his notes and thought about what the man had said, and hoped Jack was having a decent time with Beth. At least Spencer would be calling in about a half hour.


	11. chapter 11

Friday dawned and Spencer got ready for his day. He got all his stuff that he’d had charging settled back into his satchel, except his large camera –with the laptop and it, the bag was too heavy for him to want to drag around all day. Then Spencer set out to get to CalTech, via various forms of public transit. He knew Hotch would have a fit, but Spencer also hoped to get a ride back at the end of the day. He remembered that he might have the answer to getting everything home if he could locate the right person. Which he should be able to, he was speaking for classes in his department.

Even as much as had changed in the time Spencer had been away from the campus, CalTech felt the same and smelled the same and pretty much sounded the same. Spencer noted that that morning air felt the same as well. 

He had a love-hate relationship with large mass public speaking. By the time he was 14 he was fine in front of a classroom. Graduate student tends to equal teaching at some point, whether lab assistants or actual classes, and people tended to forget he had Master’s degrees in everything he had PhDs in…that’s how it worked. For his math degree he’d been a student teacher until he’d come here and never had to be all alone in front of the classroom, but for both engineering and chemistry he’d been those lab teachers even before CalTech. Oddly enough, most students managed once they got used to their lab teacher being so young, but those same students threw fits the few times he taught an actual class. Here he’d done a lot of on-line teaching as well and running online courses didn’t make anyone question his right to be in charge. He didn’t like on-line classes though, they just lacked in dynamic and in the quality of work. Here he also had done undergrad classes and lectures. It was the lectures he’d hated.

The nine o’clock lecture was the first of the two lectures done with the LA office FBI guy, who looked less like an agent than Spencer did. He looked like he belonged out on a surf board. They were going to be the worst examples of proper haircuts. The man’s blond hair was rather long and he had a lock of hair that flopped over his blue eyes. He was wearing a suit, though.

The man had a laugh himself when he saw Spencer.

“Agent Reid?” The blond asked. Reid smiled and waved. “I’m Agent Patterson.”

Spencer nodded. “You have a plan?” he asked.

“Well, I’ve been told you are the special guest today. I heard you got your degree here.”

“Oh, um…two of them.” Spencer said.

“Masters?” Agent Paterson asked.

“No, PhDs in Mathematics and Chemistry. My PhD in Engineering is from MIT but I started it here and the projects that earned it were a joint endeavor.”

“PhDs, huh? I’ve got a masters in criminology from UCLA.”

Spencer smiled. “Great, however I might not mention where it’s from, although UCLA isn’t the main rival so you’ll be unlikely to be lynched if you accidentally do.”

Agent Paterson laughed. “I’m feeling better already.”

Spencer raised his eyebrows at the guy.

“You aren’t acting all stuffy. You don’t act like someone with three PhDs.”

“Oh. I do sometimes, I’m told…and I ramble.” Spencer said.

“More like the absent-minded-professor lot than the I’m-smarter-than-you lot, then?”

Spencer laughed. “I can live with that. How about you introduce yourself and the topic, and then hand it over when you’ve reached an area you want to hand over?”

“What do you actually do? I think all I was told was that you were out of Quantico and you had gone to school here.”

“I work with the BAU.” 

“Behavior Analysis Unit? Awesome. Do you want to take the part about the academy? You look like you’ve been through it more recently than I have.”

“I could, but I bet you went through since I did. I entered at 21, started with the BAU at 22. Yes, I was too young, but the upper echelons gave special permission.”

“Good Lord, I must be walking with Bureau royalty. Shall I bow, your Highness?” Agent Paterson said in a teasing voice, with a huge smile on his face.

Spencer laughed. “I like you. This is going to be a good day.”

“Mostly get people who are mad and nasty about it, huh?” Agent Paterson asked.

Spencer nodded.

“Well then, I’ll do the academy, what other units have you worked with?”

“None for long, but we’ve worked alongside white collar and exploited persons, human trafficking and crimes against children.”

“Enough to give an overview?”

“Certainly.”

“Good. You’ll overview those and your job, I’ll cover Indian Affairs and whatever else I feel like.”

“Do you do a lot dealing with international waters issues here?”

“We do, that would be good to mention.”

“I’d be interested in hearing about it, too.”

Agent Paterson smiled. “So you went to school here? You surf?”

Spencer started laughing. “I was aged 14 to 18, I was too gangly to surf well. Picture Bambi trying to surf, even better Bambi on ice trying to surf.”

The agents were both laughing when student started filling the auditorium for their lecture.

Their first lecture went well, and their second lecture (eleven to noon) was a joint lecture with LAPD and the Pasadena PD, firemen, EMTs, Coast Guard, Search and Rescue and other emergency providers. It ended up a two part lecture, one on ‘what skills we need and why you should put your skills to use with us’ and the second on ‘helping when we call for aid’, an hour apart (one to two). Spencer hadn’t had the second part in his list of lectures to give, but was asked to remain with them and give a spiel about helping in emergencies. Miraculously, the LAPD detective speaking at CalTech was also one who’d worked on the case they’d wanted the consult on and Spencer was able to directly go over it with him. Two phone calls later to flesh out details (it dealt with harassment bombs which were getting more powerful so first they called Morgan and then Garcia), and the LAPD detective was on the phone having his partners making an arrest. That was over lunch. The Pasadena PD officer asked if Spencer was willing to look at two of their cases and Spencer agreed as long as he was willing to wait when time for came for Spencer’s two thirty lecture. The officer’s partner was there with two cold cases and one current by the time two rolled around.

“We know there is a pattern here, we just haven’t been able to see it.” The partner told Spencer.

Spencer looked at the current case and asked for a map. They laid out the home invasion sites, the sites with injuries, and the sites items had shown up. 

“Did you map it out at the office?” Spencer asked.

“Not like that.”

Spencer then marked times, items taken and ones that showed back up in pawn shops. “Have you considered more than one individual?”

“With the same MO?” The officer that had lectured with Spencer asked.

“But they don’t quite have the same MO, there are little differences.” Spencer said. “It’s almost like they were taking a class and following the directions given by a teacher, but their own selves show up in some things.”

“Oh My God!” the other officer said. He then drew in schools – high schools and continuing education centers- on the map.

Spencer smiled.

“Does that always help?” The officer asked.

“I find it helps. I usually use different colors and types of pins.”

Spencer looked at the clock.

“I have a lecture to give to a mathematics class about now, during the second half of the class and one about a half hour after that to give to a chemistry class. If you want to stay we could go over these cases during that half hour, or I could look at them and bring them to you tomorrow,” Spencer said. 

“You wouldn’t mind spending more time on them? I mean, I just figured you’d only be able to give them a quick go over but it would have been worth that for even some other ideas,” the officer said.

“I don’t mind. Part of being here is to be available for consults, although apparently only LAPD got that memo.”

“Keep them, those are copies. Do you know where the main station is?” 

“I do.”

“Ask for Officer Reynolds. Both of us are headed up north tomorrow to a training seminar. I bet we learned more today than we will tomorrow, though.”

Spencer tucked the files into his satchel and headed to the mathematics class. It was a primarily a freshman man class, although for the lecture part the teacher had opened it for others to come and listen. It was crowded when Spencer entered. 

“I’m not late!” He said as he slipped in through the back of the room.

“Spencer!” The professor shouted. “I mean, Dr. Reid, so glad you could make it.”

The class giggled.

“Reuben, I am sure the first greeting was more what your class was expecting.” Spencer said. “I was just happy you shouted Spencer and not something else.”

Most those in attendance nodded and laughed.

Spencer started his lecture, on the use of mathematics in various real life occupations other than the obvious (“No, Spencer…please mention the obvious as well!” Reuben yelled from the side. “Too many of them are blonds!”). He spoke of its use in the FBI, and then stated obvious uses in engineering and sciences, since Reuben insisted. He spoke of its use in medicine and education. In store management and even as a sales person. In running businesses, in tourism and in wild life management. Finally he asked the class to try to think of any profession which didn’t use some sort of math.

Each shout-out was responded to by himself or others in the classroom, with the poor boy who shouted out parent being pelted with crumpled up paper. Then Spencer spent the last of the time talking about how he used mathematics in his particular job. The time flew by and Spencer spent fifteen more minutes talking to students who had stayed behind.

Reuben was waiting.

“Time for dinner tonight?” he asked Spencer.

“My chemistry lecture is from 3:30 to 4, figure ten minutes after that till I’m free and then I’ve lectures from 5 to 9.”

“The auditorium?”

“For the lectures? Yeah. I’m presenting the findings from those projects and papers I did with Roxie.”

“How about a picnic style meal in front of the auditorium at about four fifteen?”

“That would be great, Reuben! By the way, do you still have that old set of luggage from when I lived here?” Spencer asked.

“The green paint splattered ones?”

“Yes, those.” Spencer smiled.

“I do. I can bring them with me to dinner.”

“I’ll need a ride back to Anaheim if you do.”

“Anaheim? Why are you staying out there?”

“It’s been a working vacation, and today was my work day. Spent all week in Disneyland with a nearly seven year old, in fact he is seven today.”

“Someone you want to tell me about?”

Spencer turned red. “No, but it’s a long story.”

“I’ll stick around for your lecture tonight and you can tell me it when you’re not speaking.”

“I’ll have to set it up with Roxie beforehand to do a kid check anyway.”

“You’re doing the checking up while you’re away?”

“I told you, it’s a long story.”

Reuben ruffled Spencer’s hair. “I can’t believe the FBI lets you get away with those locks.”

Spencer smiled at him. “I know. Isn’t it great?”

“Getting going, young grasshopper, before you are late!” Reuben said as he steered Spencer out the door. Spencer waved and took off at a jog to make it to the next location.

The Chemistry lecture was more about forensics, with a bit about how he’d used it and Spencer explaining that by his PhD, he’d also taken an interest in Bio-Chemistry and that had grown with his later degree in Psychology and in that form he used his chemistry background a lot. There weren’t as many students who stayed to talk to him, nor was he good friends with the professor of the class, so he was out and back to the auditorium before Reuben had made it back, though not by much.

“What did you bring?” Reid asked, looking at the large brown paper sack.

“Calisto heard you were here and called me.”

“Old James’s Sandwich shop still there?”

“Mostly. He sold to Calisto and Calliope when he decided to retire. Calisto kept that shop from going under and in fact kept him making money the whole run, so he said he felt good letting it go to her,” Reuben explain, as he pulled out food.

Reid beamed. “It even smells perfect, just like I remember.”

“Your seafood bake sub and a pound of steak fries. The version you eat is now called a spiced all-in seafood bake, and of course yours is on toasted garlic bread with guacamole. Calliope included four little plastic containers of Garlic butter, still hot, and three larger ones of that Turkish Ketchup you loved so much, which she now imports by the truckloads.”

“There’s different versions of the sandwich?” Reid asked, pulling open the box of fries and smothering them in the garlic butter, before shutting the box top again.

“Yeah, she makes one without the horseradish in the cheese sauce and then a version with just crab and shrimp, which is less expensive and appeals to college kids on a tight budget.”

Reid unwrapped his sandwich and just smelled it for a moment. He could see the lobster, scallops, crab, shrimp, onions and mushrooms in all their creamy cheese melting goodness under thin sliced tomatoes and avocados. He looked to his bread and saw the thick layer of guacamole.

The first bite had him moaning and fluttering his eyes in delight. “There is no where I’ve had anything that even comes close to this. It is still heavenly.”

“They have added the best cheese steaks, Phiily style, and have kept Old James’s build your perfect sandwich system going. They serve soups and have a fabulous baked potato bar.”

“Cool. It’s nice when you can see other successful people you pretty much grew up with.”

“How old was Calisto when Old James got her off the street?” Reuben asked.

“She said she was 18, but I’m pretty certain she was just turned 16. She had been living in the storage shed behind the old science building. I think her Mom must have died and she was running from an abusive dad, from things she’d said.”

“Yeah, well you did a good thing that day talking her into walking a poor defenseless boy to the local sandwich shop to get his lunch, so no one would take his lunch money.”

“Hey, I was a great actor that year.” Reid said, smiling. He checked his fries and found the butter had soaked in. Moaning was heard as Reid started in on the fries as well. Not much other than moaning was heard until Reid shut the lib on the empty fry box, with all his other trash inside. Reuben tucked it into paper bag. “I’ll take it over to the recycle bins after your lectures start. How on earth are you still so skinny?”

“Same old reason.”

“You skip meals more than not?” Reuben asked.

“No, well some, but…”

“Spencer, if Jocelyn hadn’t taken me to task to look after you better that second year you were here, you’d have died of starvation. I still can’t believe no one kept track of you better after Evens finished his masters and went back east to do that internship.”

“I didn’t die of starvation, I didn’t blow myself up, I didn’t work myself to death, and I didn’t go insane from shoving too much knowledge into my brain at once.”

“You suffered from Migraines for four months until Jocelyn took over and made you spend a whole month doing nothing but watching movies, getting fresh air, and pretending you were a normal sixteen year old whose parents gave him everything.”

Spencer cocked his head sideways and then snorted. “I remember that now. I’d blocked it from memory. Elvis or Beach Party movies all day long for like a week straight. Then hiking and beach combing and swimming. She almost made me go to summer camp! And all those skills. It worked pretty good though and people kept their eyes on me after than again. I kind of missed my almost two years of immersion in studies and studies alone. Hmm….I wonder if the same method would work now?”

“Migraines again?”

“Yeah. My response was not one of my stellar moments either. I flipped out when they said they couldn’t find anything physically wrong, panicked myself about ended up like my mom, and ignored them. Finally I had one doctor who just looked at me and said ‘Stop making it worse by making yourself even more stressed.’ Now I’m just trying to figure out how to reduce my stress.”

“I could let Jocelyn get hold of you again.”

“I like Jocelyn, have adored her since then. Remember when we learned to can?” Reid asked.

“Remember when you learned to quilt? I’ve got that huge quilt you made in the bigger of the suitcases and the quilt you made Grandma Ruthie and then Jocelyn made you quilt which is in there as well. You’ll melt when you get out that quilt. I apologize for the colors; she based it around the owl fabric. It’s made out of that super soft fleece stuff. I have one in my office.”

Spencer smiled. “I often wondered about that quilt. I’m glad the one I made Grandma Ruthie is coming back to me, will be a physical memory of that remarkable lady. I was very sad to hear about her death.”

“She was one hundred and three years old, and two days before she died she’d finished the final performance of the old people’s home’s rendition of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She played Millie. That was about the funniest thing I’d ever seen. They skipped the dancing, of course, except when they do the minuet. She just went to bed one night and didn’t wake up.”

“About the best way to end, I think. Live a full life, still have family around you whenever you want and sometimes when you don’t, be active and aware the whole time and go in peace.”

“Exactly. Oh, and she left instructions on how to mourn her. She gave us a day for the pulling out of hair and gnashing of teeth and wailing our sorrow unto the skies, then we were only allowed to think of the good things and of the fun we had. She threatened to come back and haunt us if we didn’t listen.”

Spencer laughed. “A spitfire till the end.”

“You’d better be off. I can see you’re going to have a full house tonight.” Reuben said, looking at his watch and the people entering the auditorium.

“I doubt it.” Spencer said. “I did mention it this morning though, when all the emergency personnel were here for that second set of lecture I did this morning, so we might have a few more than I expected.”

“What are the topics?”

“Sexual identity repression and criminal intentions and the Bio-Chemistry involved in sexual identity repression.” Spencer replied.

“I bet you have a bigger crowd than you imagined. When Roxie takes a turn to speak, come join me in the left wing and we’ll talk.”

Spencer nodded as he gathered his stuff and got ready to go in to start his lectures.

“I have to make calls though, too. One at five-thirty and then every hour on the hour.”

Roxie was waiting for Spencer. Roxie always made Spencer stop and look and think. He thought Roxie was a she, but he wouldn’t be willing to place bets and he was one willing to play the odds most of the time. Roxie’s voice was smooth, but neither very masculine nor feminine. Then Reid would remind himself that it didn’t matter, because Roxie was brilliant and very enjoyable to research with. Roxie had keen insights and great people skills.

“Roxie, have your outline?” Reid asked.

“I do. You start and layout the basic findings, then I’ll take what we think it means in simple terms, and then we’ll do a question and answer time and close up.”

“I have to make a call at five-thirty and calls on the hour till nine.”

“Sounds good. You’ll just have to make sure you are done with your part before five-thirty. Ready to go?”

Spencer went on stage and started the lecture. There was a much larger crowd than he’d been expecting. He saw several uniformed officers, and surprisingly several doctors and nurses still in their scrubs. More importantly to him, though, was that people looked interested and were taking notes. He finished setting forth the paper and research in twenty seven minutes and 45 seconds and introduced Roxie, who took it from there.

Spencer exited to the left wing, where he saw Reuben. He waved. He moved a little further away and the pulled out his cell phone and called Beth.

“What do you want?” A voice hissed from the other end of the call.

“I’d like to talk to Jack, wanted to ask his opinion on something.”

“Fine. If you insist. Jack, the phone is for you.”

“Hello?” Jack’s voice said softly.

“Hey, Jack. It’s me, Spencer. How are you?”

“I’m Okay. We’re at Disneyland. We’re going to watch the Mr. Lincoln thing.”

“Good, I wanted to ask what colors you think Garcia would like for a quilt and colors for your Aunt Jessica and you and Henry. You think about it and I’ll call in a half hour and you can tell me them. Sound good?”

“Sounds great. Do you think you can come see me when you get back?”

“Sure I can. I’ll come whenever you want me to as soon as I can.”

“Maybe we could have dessert like last night.”

“Sounds like a plan. Do you want to give the phone back to Beth?”

Spencer heard Jack given the phone back. “Beth I’ll be call….” He railed off when he realized the phone had been hung up.

“She hung up on me.”

Reuben was sitting there with a questioning look on his face.

“So, when CalTech heard the FBI was doing its recruiting seminars/lectures whatevers in the area, they realized it could be just what was needed to get me down here and finally be able to present these papers with Roxie and lecture on them. I mean we managed a presentation right after they’d been published, but it was very much a press release type thing, not a real presentation. Thus, CalTech asked specifically for me. I don’t know if you know but there is a huge law enforcement conference going on this weekend as well, and my boss, the BAU unit chief, was specifically invited to speak at the opening dinner of that, which was last night.”

“And?” Reuben asked when Spencer paused for a moment.

“But, although other schools could get their date picked nearly the same, that date was Tuesday, except UCLA’s main campus, which was also tonight. The other schools asked for Hotch, my boss, and so he needed to be down here Tuesday but stay till tonight.”

“Got it that far.”

“Well, our tech girl…Garcia, she figured that cost wise it would be better for both of us to fly down and stay. She further made it cost efficient by offering our consulting services. We brought some that had been sent our way with us from Quantico and then have been doing one or two a day during the week. That still left loads of down time.”

Reuben was twiddling his thumbs, which had been their non-verbal signal since Spencer was 14 for him to get to the point.

“We were in California, LA area, with lots of downtime between us. Hotch has a little boy who doesn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with his dad because we do get called out and about all the time. So…a working vacation was born. To Disneyland. By the time the idea was hours old, it had gone from Hotch and Jack going to Hotch and Jack and his girlfriend who insists she wants to be more and me as back-up. The plan? A fun time for Hotch to spend with Jack and time for Beth and Jack to get to know each other and yeah…”

“And?”

“We flew in last Sunday and even though Jack was supposed to only be my charge yesterday, he was my charge all day Tuesday, all day yesterday and about a third of Wednesday, which was supposed to have been his day with his dad. We were all together on Monday, but even then often Jack was pushed off to me.”

“Ah, issues with the girlfriend?”

Spencer cocked his head to the side. “How’d you know?”

Reuben chuckled. ‘Momma Laura is my step mom. My mom died when I was …oh, probably about three. Rebecca was a baby and Hannah was five or six. We almost ended up with a different step mom. She was a nice lady, doted on my dad and on the outside it was everything people looking in could want for him. Grandma Ruthie hated her. The whole time they were seeing each other she never once took an initiative with us kids, though. When my dad couldn’t get her and us to mesh together, he told her that it wouldn’t work. She threw a good tantrum, but left. A year later, Dad met Momma Laura. She was interested in being involved in the whole family and thus we loved her. She was a mother to us from before her and dad got married, willing to step in for the man she loved. All the kids younger than Rebecca are Dad’s and Laura’s, but us older three never once felt like she didn’t think of us as hers as well.”

Spencer sighed. “That is what I want for Jack. Or even no one else yet. Hotch was happy with just him and Jack. They are still fixing their own relationship after the strain his first wife put on it. I just don’t know how to convince his dad of that, or that Beth is the wrong woman.”

“Spencer, even Momma Ruthie couldn’t get my dad to realize the issue until he had to face it himself. Your boss, it will be the same way. He’ll have to come to the conclusions himself.”

“She’s mean to Jack. She threatened him, Reuben. She wanted to lock him in the hotel room all alone so her and his dad could go out.”

“That’s not good.”

“And we had to leave him with her tonight because we both have to work.”

“Hence the calls?”

Spencer nodded. “I don’t know if Hotch warned her we would be calling or not, but we’re calling very half hour and making sure we can talk to Jack and he sounds ok.”

“That is the best you can do, but remember I’m here if you need me to go get him or something.”

Spencer smiled. “Thanks.” He looked at his watch and decided it was near enough six to call, only about two minutes off. “I’m going to go make my next call now.”

Reuben nodded and waved Spencer off and Spencer dialed the phone.

“You again? Here’s Jack.”

“Hey Spencer. I think Auntie Penny would like pinks and purples. Aunt Jess liked sunshine colors or sunset colors. Henry would like blue and red and I’d like blue and green.”

“Good choices. You having fun?”

“I don’t know what we’re doing now. This park closes early for the Halloween party.”

“The other park is open until ten.”

“I know. I miss you, Spencer.”

“I miss you too. How are you, Jack?”

“…”

“Will you tell me about it later?”

“Yeah. I guess. You are coming see me later, right? Dessert together like last night, right?”

“You bet. Remember? I’ll be there whenever you need me as fast as I can get there.”

“Really?” 

“Really.”

“All right, here’s Beth. She wants her phone.” Spencer heard the phone being passed.

“Honestly, is this really necessary?”

“I needed to ask Jack a question that I wanted him to think about and then I needed the answer to that question. The person I need to get the answer to is here for this lecture, but I don’t know if they planned to stay for the next. Hence, calling now. Furthermore I need to be back on stage in about five.”

“Fine.” Spencer heard the click as she disconnected the call.

Spencer turned to Reuben. “Garcia likes pinks and purples, Aunt Jess likes sunshine or sunset colors, my godson Henry like reds and blues and Jack likes blues and greens. I’d like to commission Jocelyn to make some of those quilts like the one you described.”

“You know she’d love to do so. Also, you know I’m here, don’t you. If you need me to I’ll find some way to go get him for you. Now go get ready to play the question and answer game. Just think, odds are you won’t hear ‘Do you carry a gun?’ tonight.”

Spencer smiled. “How much?”

“Ice scream afterwards, we can go get the kid first.”

“You’re on. I hear it you pay, I don’t and I’ll pay. Want to invite Jocelyn?”

“Kid, the reasons she’s not here is because she is chaperoning a dance at Harland’s High School. I got out of it because of you. I could almost kiss you for that.”

“Please no!”

“I see Roxie heading to the side of the stage; you’d better get out there.”

Spencer went out and helped Roxie through the question and answer session. He was pretty impressed with the types of questions asked from not only the law enforcement contingency but also the medical professionals and the general population. The only sour note was a religious man, who got up and tried to condemn them for saying that sexual identity repression was harmful, but there was only the one and it wasn’t that bad and he wasn’t even threatening violence. After the questions were done there was about twenty minutes before the next lecture and Roxie and Reid got to meet two of the teams of people trying to replicate their studies. That was a thrill for Spencer, as well, as usually he never got to put faces with the names of people who were working on the concepts he’d come up with or validating his studies.

Just before seven, Spencer excused himself and Reuben, who’d joined them while they did their meet and greet, followed.

“Hmm….I need an excuse to call. She was irate last time.”

“Call to ask if you can bring a friend to dessert.” Reuben said.

“Perfect. Besides, then he’d know I was bringing a friend and not be surprised.”

Spencer dialed and Beth picked up in a snit.

“What?!”

“Can I talk to Jack?”

“What do you want this time?”

“I wanted to ask Jack if he minds that a friend of mine comes and eats dessert with us.”

“I don’t think I’m allowing Jack to eat dessert with you.”

“Well then I’ll just call Aaron and ask him, now may I talk to Jack?”

“I don’t think I want you to talk to Jack.”

“I think you need to let me talk to Jack now.”

“I don’t think I need to.”

“Are you sure you won’t let me talk to Jack?”

“I’m not letting you talk to Jack.”

“All right then.”

“I don’t think you should call Aaron, either.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he’s much too busy to talk to you.”

“May I speak with Jack?”

“No.” The phone went dead.

Aaron was dialed the moment it went dead and he picked up within second.

“Yes Reid?”

“She wouldn’t let me speak with Jack. So I’m calling you to ask if Jack can join me and a friend for dessert tonight. May he?”

“He may. What do you want to do about the other?”

“My friend could go get him if he needed to. I thought of having Garcia call though, and getting her to keep Jack on the phone for a while.”

“If she could keep him on the phone till it was time for my call that would be good. And then you call again at eight?”

“I’ll leave my phone with Reuben and if Garcia needed us, Reuben could take the call.”

“Now who is Reuben?”

“Reuben was my…well mentor, I guess? He was in charge of keeping track of me and such here when I was still under aged.”

“You mean the whole time?”

“Well, yeah. He and his wife did a decent job.”

“The poor folks.”

“Hey!”

“Go call Garcia.”

Hotch hung up and Spencer had Garcia on the phone just seconds after that.

“Reid, what are you doing calling me baby boy, you’re supposed to be lecturing!”

“It will just start late, it will be fine. Beth wouldn’t let me talk to Jack when I just called. Hotch agreed that you should call and then talk to him for a while. I’m going to give my phone to my friend Reuben, if you can’t talk to Jack or something is wrong, call. Reuben can then come get hold of me and I’ll let Roxie do some extra talking while we figure things out. Hotch will call Beth and Jack at 7:30 so be off before that. Maybe text him when you’re done talking to Jack.”

“Can do baby boy. You go knock everyone’s socks off with your brilliance. Over and Out.”

Spencer gave his phone an amused look.

“Reuben, here is my phone. Our tech girl, Garcia is supposed to call Jack and talk with him. If she can’t talk to him, she’ll call back. Come get me for the discussion if that happens.”

Reuben nodded and headed to the lobby area and Spencer headed to the stage. They split the presentation up just like they had for the first lecture. Spencer presented the paper in all its technical glory. Twenty minutes into the presentation he saw Reuben waving at him from the back. He pointed that out to Roxie and turned the time over.

“Your friend is on the phone and she is not happy.” Reuben informed Spencer as he exited the back doors.

“Shit!”

“Baby Boy, I heard that. That is not language you are allowed to use!” Spencer heard yelled from his phone. “Now put me on speaker phone!”

Spencer took his phone and put it into speaker phone mode.

“She wouldn’t let me speak to him either. Gave me some run around about first him being in the bathroom and then him taking a bath. However, I don’t think she was in the room with him. Reid, every sound in the background sounded like it was coming from some new age retreat. I heard humming!”

“Did you just get off the phone with her?”

“No, I texted Hotch first. He said he’d call as soon as he could get to a pausing place. He wanted me to get hold of you and set what you could do.”

“How long were you on the phone with her?”

“I tried to talk to her for maybe thirteen minutes. She wasn’t interested in answering any of my questions, by the way. Oh and when I asked about Beth and Jack day she told me about what a little monster he was, not listening to her and being rude to her, whining and begging for things, but of course couldn’t give me specifics about any of it. I did get a five minute rant about how stupid it was of me to send cameras.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Personally, I thought it was brilliant.”

“What can you do Reid?”

“I am supposed to take questions, but I could limit mine and explain I had to leave early. Or I could go speak to Roxie right now and see if I could just head out now.”

“I think it would be best to let Hotch try his call and then be ready if need be,” Garcia said.

“Let me get things on my end ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Then if I can stay, I’ll stay, if not, I can go.”

“Off to it baby boy.”

“Garcia, we’re on speaker phone!”

“Live with it. I’m out, sending texts to our leader.”

Spencer took his phone and ended the call.

“She reminds me of Grandma Ruthie.” Reuben said.

Spencer laughed. “I’ll go see if I can’t get Roxie’s attention. See if I can get myself out of here before eight.”

Roxie was just finishing up Roxie’s basic introduction when Spencer re-entered the auditorium. Spencer waved from off to the side and Roxie declared a two minute break for water and stretching. He explained that he might need to leave quickly but he didn’t want to leave it all to Roxie. They decided on a present and the immediate question session on the each section of the paper and Spencer could take the first sections, with Roxie simplifying his explanations if needed. By seven thirty, when Hotch was supposed to make his call, Spencer had covered half the paper and Roxie told him to go if he needed to go. 

At seven forty Rueben waved from the back and Spencer excused himself, offering to answer any extra questions if they were emailed to the email at the end of the paper.

“You’re boss called and asked me to take you back to the hotel and find out where his son is.” Reuben said.

“Let’s go then.”

“Your Garcia said she’d be calling soon.” Reuben handed Spencer his phone back.

Reuben led Spencer to his car, called his wife to tell her he was taking Spencer back to Anaheim and would be back later and she insisted they needed to drive by the house first, since she hadn’t left yet.

She came out, with paper plates full of cookies and a kiss for Spencer’s cheek, and orders to come a visit when he was back in February, if not earlier. She also asked what sized blankets he wanted (bed sized -adult beds for the girls and twin beds for the boys) and informed him he’d have them by Christmas, and told him he was to call her if he wanted more done.

Garcia called as they were pulling out of the driveway.

“Put me on speaker baby boy.” She said and then waited to continue until she had the confirmation of being n speaker.

“All right, Hotch said as far as he could get out of Beth, they are at the hotel. She wasn’t up for any more of the parks. She told him the same thing, that Jack was in his bath and that she’d have Jack call him back after he finished his bath and eaten his dinner. Except she said she’d fed him earlier at the park when he called the first time. He couldn’t convince her to even have Jack yell to him from the bathroom, though. Hotch wanted to know if you had the papers that allowed you temporary guardianship with you.”

“I do. Where does he want me to go first?”

“To their rooms, if there isn’t an answer to a knock on the door and you shouting, he said to ask about child-care services at the front desk. His lecture looks like it will be done early as well, by the way, but not for at least forty minutes.”

“And then?” Spencer asked.

“Dessert, just like you said. Hotel restaurant preferably.”

“Got it. Thanks Garcia.”

“Not a problem, my junior G-man. I’m just sorry. I thought this evening would work out and now you have to leave your presentation.”

“Roxie will be fine and it will be fine. The more attended presentation was first anyway. By the way, you willing to run some things for me tonight for a few cold case consults for the Pasadena PD. We got some ideas for their current case but they left cold case files to be looked at. At first glance one I think needs to be traced opposite of what they did.”

“What do you mean?”

“Usually you follow the money trail? I think we’ll find the answer in following where the money didn’t go.”

“Ah, all right, when you get somewhere you can get me names and such I’ll start on that. I’m not going home until I know my baby G-Man is safe, sound and happy and has talked to his Auntie Penny for a while.”

“Of course. Do you at least have company?”

“I do, actually. The rest the team, minus Rossi who had some formal function to go to tonight that the FBI head honchos and his publisher wanted him to attend, is here trying to solve a case of serial assaults in DC. They are working from here because somehow someone - and I do not know who- managed to offend the PD’s secretary who has then gone on to make everyone miserable when they are at the PD.”

“Ha! It’s not always my fault!”

“Make sure to rub that in when you get back, too.”

“Will do. I’d better go, Garcia.”

“Call me when you have my Jack Jack.”

“Will do.”

“And Mr. Reuben sir, it’s been lovely meeting you! You do need to tell me how you know my baby boy the next time we talk!”

“My pleasure, Miss Garcia.”

“Call me!”

The call disconnected and Spencer shut the phone.

“It won’t be much longer, Spencer. Things will be fine.”

Spencer didn’t look convinced and Reuben focused on driving and trying to get Spencer to fret less.


	12. chapter 12

Jack was so not happy with things, but his Daddy and his Spencer had to work and this was a working vacation. He knew he could be brave and he could be happy and cheerful and just as good as could be. When his dad left, Beth just looked at him. “I guess we’d better be doing something here. There were some of those Fantasyland rides that would be fine for you.”

“All right.”

“First, I think we’ll look around. Put that camera away, though. I don’t want to see it. Let’s zip it in that bag tight. There will be no losing it on my watch, and no breaking it.”

Jack put his camera in its little case and tucked the case in the zipper section on his bag, which he’d never actually used. He remembered Spencer opening it. He looked in the zipper section. There was a little note in it which simply read “Remember how wonderful and special you are.”

Jack smiled at Beth. “Ok, I’m ready.”

Beth didn’t hold hands. And she didn’t like him walking right beside her, but about a step behind. She didn’t like to talk. They went through the inventions place that he and Spencer had gone to, but going with Beth was boring and a waste of time because if he showed any interest she pulled him away from things. They walked through the sleeping beauty castle and she complained he was too slow the whole time, and refused to read anything to him or stop long enough to let him read things himself. 

“Let’s see. What rides could we do? Snow White is sedate, so are Pinocchio and that toad ride. Aaron said you liked the pan one so that is out.” Beth was muttering as they exited the castle. Her phone rang and Jack could tell it was his daddy.

She complained about what to feed him before handing the phone to Jack.

“Hi, Dad.” Jack said.

“Hey buddy, how are things?”

“Not too bad, we are just wandering about and Beth won’t let me use my camera. She made me zip it tight in my bag. She said we might go on the Snow White ride, and Pinocchio’s ride and the toad ride.” Jack tried to sound happy.

“Those would be good rides to go on with her.”

“They would be fun.” And he doubt she’d complain too much because they were her idea.

“Now, when she goes looking for your ticket later tell her you have it, because she forgot to ask for it. You can carry it though, and use it yourself, she doesn’t need it. She just needs to know you have when she asks.” Jack smiled when his dad said that, he didn’t like the idea of Beth having his ticket.

“All right, Dad, love you and miss you.”

“Love you too, Jack. Give the phone back to Beth now.”

His dad and Beth were on the phone a little bit longer and she was grumpy when she got off. This time she did take his hand, pulling him into lines and picking him up and setting him hard into seats, instead of letting him get settled himself.

“I can get on the ride myself,” he told her after Pinocchio.

“You’d likely fall and hurt yourself if you tried.” Beth snapped. “Let’s get these rides over and get you fed.”

The toad ride was less fun with Beth than it had been the other times he’d been on it, and she wouldn’t let him touch the car out front of it. They went to the place by where Jack had seen the Star Wars show and Jack thought it lucky they’d just missed that show because Beth really wouldn’t have liked that. He ate and she grumbled the whole time that he was being too slow, but then she grumbled about how they were going to manage to make it till the time the park closed and she could take him back to the hotel without anyone being upset with her for cheating him out of his day at the park, too. She declared him done, took the food he hadn’t finished yet, and dragged him back down towards the exit.

“The Lincoln thing will do just fine.” She mumbled. “We are not watching the parade; you’d like that too much.”

Her phone rang as they rounded past the big Halloween Mickey pumpkin. It was shoved in his face before he realized she’d answered it. It was Spencer and he asked Jack to think about what color people would like for quilts. It was an odd question and Jack suspected it was more just to talk to him. Jack said he’d think about it though, and asked if Spencer would come see him after he got done with his job. Spencer didn’t even hesitate to say yes.

The Lincoln thing was interesting, and Jack knew it would have been way more interesting if Spencer had been there. Beth growled the whole time about it being too long, Jack being too slow, Jack being too loud (even though he didn’t say anything), Jack being too annoying, everyone else being too annoying, and everything else it seemed like. When it was done, they left and Beth made them sit outside the building while she considered what to do next. Spencer called again and she got mad at him for doing so, but Jack got to answer and make sure Spencer would see him that evening.

“Fine, we’ll do the stupid train and then we’ll leave.” She said, pulling Jack up the stairs to the depot. 

Jack managed to like the train ride in spite of Beth. He just stayed quiet and so she stayed quiet. They rode the whole circle twice, and Jack’s daddy called during the second round. He talked to him shortly, told him he’d eaten and they rode some rides and were on the train and then Beth made him hand the phone over. He ignored what she said to his dad, instead watching the scenery pass by. When they finished she marched him off the train and dragged him back to the hotel. First she took him to the play area and gave him some coins to play a video game. Jack played and Beth excused herself, getting one of the other older kids there to watch him while she left. She told the other kid she had to use the rest room but, she’d gone the wrong way for that. She wasn’t gone very long though, maybe ten minutes. Then she scolded him for wasting her time while he played around in the arcade and dragged him off to their room. When they were back in the room, Beth slammed the door.

“Now, listen brat. I’ve done my time. Here is how the rest of this evening is going to go. You are going to stay here and watch TV.”

Jack sat and turned on the TV. The station was still on a kid’s station. Beth went to her room and came out a few minutes later, dressed much like she had been when he saw her at lunch, except her skirt was shorter. She glared at him and then left.

Jack was alone. He looked for the TV remote and found it had been placed high on the shelf in Beth’s closet in her room. He peeked out the window and watched people move below him. He checked, at least their water was within his reach, and he had snacks. He could even get to the cake his dad had put in the little fridge, and it was all still there.

He sat down and watched the show that was on. He knew it was a half hour, and it wasn’t the start of it. He’d just tell the time by the shows and he’d be fine. Maybe someone would get home early. He’d be fine. Spencer had told his dad that he thought Jack could handle it if he’d had to. Spencer thought he could do it and he could. However, he also remembered that Spencer and his dad had not wanted him left in the hotel all by himself, and he figured they’d like to know that and it would be the safest thing to do. Maybe he could call his daddy, or Spencer or even Garcia. He had their numbers in the pocket on his lanyard’s pouch. Jack went and looked for the telephone. He tried to follow the instructions on how it worked, but he didn’t understand them well enough. He did notice that said he could dial just 911 in an emergency, but he didn’t think this was that kind of emergency, yet.

The first TV show was getting over by the time he was done trying to figure out how to call from the hotel room. He sat down and watched the next full cartoon. Then he thought that maybe his daddy might have left one of his phones in the hotel room. He went into his dad’s and his room. The bags were pulled out and just not right, not like his daddy had set them before he left after lunch. His socks and swim wear were scattered all about the room. However, both suitcases were locked still, and he couldn’t see his daddy’s other phone. He thought about gathering his socks and swim gear, but he thought about what his dad’s team had said about crime scenes, and how they wish people wouldn’t mess them up, so he left things as he found them.

A second full show had ended. Jack knew it must be almost eight. Dad and Spencer’s lectures both got done at nine, two more shows. Jack didn’t like the next show. He really didn’t like it; furthermore his daddy and Auntie Jess said he wasn’t allowed to watch it because it was crude and not very nice. Jack went back to where he’d seen the remote. He pulled the chair over and tried to get it by standing on the chair, but he couldn’t reach it without making the chair rock dangerously. He sighed and moved the chair back out and turned the TV low so he’d know what time it was but couldn’t hear the show. Since watching TV was out, he figured he’d do something else. Jack pulled out his water bottle out of his bag. He found a notepad by the hotel phone and a pulled out his pen. He’d make lists, he decided.

He worked on his lists, four spread out around him. He’d just noticed the first set of commercials go back to the show when he heard feet running in the hall. They stopped at his door and Jack got tense. Then he heard the knocking and the best thing he’d heard since before his daddy left.

“Jack! Are you there? Jack?”

“Spencer!” Jack shouted and ran to the door.

“Jack, can you open the door for me, just open it enough to peek out and see me, then after you’ve made sure it’s me you can open it all the way.”

Jack did as Spencer asked and threw the door open when he saw it really was his Spencer, standing with another man.

Spencer swept Jack into his arms and moved just inside the door enough to keep the door from shutting. Jack was held tight and he knew he was safe now. He hugged Spencer back just as tightly. 

“Do you know what time it is?” Spencer asked, his voice a little rough.

“No, what time?” Jack asked.

“It is time for dessert. Go get your bag and come right back to me.”

Jack ran and tucked his lists in his bag and was right back with his bag in Spencer’s arms. They didn’t even turn off lights or the TV; they just went to the restaurant.

As soon as Spencer had Jack seated in the booth next to him, and Spencer’s friend was sitting across from them, Spencer pulled out his cell phone. 

“Garcia, I’ve got him.” Spencer said.

“All right, tell Hotch that we’ll be right here. I think we all need something that takes a long time to eat.”

“Yeah, he was in the room. Beth was not there.”

“Will do. I think Hotch’s laptop can be set up and we’ll call you back for either that or a speaker phone session when he gets here.”

“Always, sweet cheeks.”

Spencer shut the phone and turned to Jack. “What would you like to eat for dessert?”

“Can I have a big banana split? Beth took my dinner away before I’d finished it.”

“Certainly. Rueben?”

“I think I’d like the Hot Fudge Sundae over the Hot Brownie.”

“Good. We’ll be all ready to order. Jack? This is my friend Reuben. Remember how I wasn’t very old when I met Ian? And I was already at the university?”

Jack nodded. “And you lived in a dorm room, and your mommy still lived in Vegas and so wasn’t there to take care of you?”

“Yeah. And Ian looked after me while I was at the dorms, because that was part of his job. Well Reuben had the responsibility of doing all the other types of looking out for me. He made sure other kids didn’t hurt me badly while I was at classes, that teachers treated me fair, that I didn’t spend all my time just reading books, that I got all my work done, things like that.”

“Kind of like a daddy?”

Reuben smiled. “Yes. We call it a mentor. But sometimes, because Spencer was so very young, I was more like a daddy than I might have been if he had been the normal age for starting university. And once my wife even grounded him, because he’d got himself into trouble.”

“She did? Spencer what did you do? What were you grounded from?”

“She did,” Spencer agreed. “I studied so hard and so much for a while after Ian graduated that I would forget to eat and forget to sleep and forget to do anything else and I made myself sick. She grounded me from books and studying! It was horrible.”

Jack laughed. Then he looked at Spencer.

“You were young when you were alone, right?” Jack asked.

“I was. I think probably most kids wouldn’t have been able to be alone like that at my age, but remember when we talked about my mommy?”

“Yeah, she is sick and lives in a Special hospital which takes care of her all the time and makes sure she doesn’t get more ill.”

“My daddy left when I was little, and my mommy was already sort of sick then. Sometimes I had to be the one to take care of her and me, so I was kind of used to it. It wasn’t right though, and it wasn’t good. Little kids shouldn’t be left alone like that.”

“Were you scared when you lived in the dorm alone?”

“Sometimes. Were you scared tonight?”

“Sometimes.”

“Just sometimes?”

Jack nodded. “Remember when I pulled you away from the door to start Jack and Spencer day yesterday?”

“Yeah.”

“You told Daddy you knew I could take care of myself in an emergency if I had to. I thought about that. First I tried to call you or Daddy, but there were all these numbers you had to push in first and I just didn’t understand and couldn’t follow those directions, so I figured I could do it.”

The waitress came at that point and Spencer ordered Jack’s and Reuben’s ice creams and a lava cake for himself. Jack waited till she left.

“After the first full show, I thought maybe daddy had left a phone in our bedroom, but when I went in there the bags were wrong and all my socks and swim stuff was scattered and not in the suitcase and his phone wasn’t there, so I left the crime scene as it was found and sat down to finish the second show.”

“Crime scene?” Reuben asked.

“Well, I didn’t do it, and daddy isn’t going to throw my socks around.”

“This is true,” Spencer said.

“Anyway, then the third show came on and Spencer, I’m not allowed to watch it. I tried to get to the TV remote, but it is on the top shelf in Beth’s closet and even with a chair I couldn’t reach it safely. So I made lists and turned the volume down and kept the TV on to tell time by the show. You came for me at the end of the first set of commercials, about ten after eight. But your lecture wasn’t supposed to be done till nine Spencer. How’d you leave early? No one is going to be upset with you are they?”

“Never. I told you, I’d come as soon as I possibly could when you needed me.”

“But how did you know I needed you, I couldn’t call you?”

“I called Beth to ask if my friend Reuben could come eat dessert with us and she refused to let me talk to you. It made me feel wrong, but I thought maybe she was just mad at me, so I called Garcia and she called Beth. But Beth wouldn’t let her talk to you either and Garcia noticed that she didn’t sound like she was at the hotel room. Then Garcia got hold of your daddy who also tried to call Beth. When your daddy didn’t get to talk to you, Garcia got hold of me and I left early. I talked to Roxie as soon as I started feeling wrong and asked if I could go as soon as I knew I needed to. Roxie didn’t mind. Roxie wanted you to be safe, too.”

Their desserts came and everyone settled in to eat. Jack had changed the subject to his birthday lunch and telling Reuben all about Jack and Spencer day and Fantasmic. Reuben just smiled and listened intently to the boy. Spencer also just smiled, happy to have Jack safe with him. They were each about half done with their desserts when Hotch ran into the Restaurant. His hair was not neat, his tie and jacket all askew, papers stacked in his arms all awry and his briefcase had papers sticking out the sides. Spencer moved of out the seat so Jack could get out of the seat. Jack raised his eyebrows at Spencer before he was swept into his dads arms and covered with kisses and hugged even tighter than Spencer had hugged him.

“I love you too, Daddy.” Jack said.

“Hotch, this is Reuben. Reuben, my boss, Aaron Hotchner. He’s usually a lot more neat and tidy looking.” Spencer said as he sat down again, beside Reuben this time. Hotch sat down where Spencer had been seated, with Jack on his lap. Spencer pushed the rest of his dessert towards Aaron, who started eating. Jack went back to eating his dessert as well. Spencer took the briefcase and had Hotch open it, then set about making it tidy, tucking the papers Aaron had come in clutching in it as well. Jack was continuing his account of Fantasmic between eating. No one mentioned Beth, or Jack’s misadventure.

When Jack had finished his dessert, and Hocth was finishing Spencer’s, Reuben spoke up.

“I’d better get back home. You want to come get your stuff from the car Spencer? Get young Jack to help and your boss. It’s going to take all three of you to get those suitcases and all the cookies.”

“Hey,” Jack said. “How’d you get cookies?”

“Jocelyn made them and ran them out to us when we stopped by Reuben’s house to say hi.”

“Why suitcases?” Hotch asked.

“How else am I getting all Garcia’s and JJ’s stuff back home?” Spencer asked. Jack laughed from his daddy’s arms. It was light and carefree sounding still. Spencer felt like a weight had been lifted off his whole body.


	13. chapter 13

Spencer watched Hotch carry Jack as they walked out to Reuben’s car. He was proud of Jack, he did do really well and he didn’t panic. However, he was also so upset he didn’t know what to do first. He wanted to go find Beth and drag her into the police station and have her arrested for child endangerment. He actually thought of other things he wouldn’t mind doing to Beth, but all those were illegal and he didn’t contemplate them for long…except driving her out to the desert and leaving her there, that thought was distinctly hard to get rid of. He wanted to take Jack and tuck him into bed in his room where he would be free from all the crap he’d been subjected to the last few days. He wanted to fly Jessica and Penelope to California and have them go deal with Beth in a mad momma sort of way. He wanted to go to Hotch’s rooms and see Jack’s ‘crime scene’ and figure out what that was all about. He wanted to whisk them all off to someplace absolutely safe. He wanted to carry Jack just like Hotch was, feeling him safe in his arms.

Reuben pulled the suitcases out of his car and Hotch struggled to keep a straight face. 

“Hey, I’ll never mistake someone else’s luggage for mine.” Spencer said. Hotch lost it.

“What happened to them?” Jack asked.

“I decided to paint the house one summer. I could afford this color. I didn’t think about how to paint slatted doors on closets. These suitcases were the front items in the closet.”

Hotch sat Jack down. “The smaller of the two looks like Jack could pull it.”

“He might be able to,” Reuben said. “I think it has the small quilt in it. The larger one has the other two quilts in it. The quilts Spencer made.”

“Reuben!” Spencer exclaimed.

Reuben chuckled. “Get your cookies and goodnight, my boy. I’ll see you in February. Stay out of trouble and don’t forget to write and call.”

Spencer wrapped his arms around Reuben in a huge hug, which Reuben returned. He got his plates of cookies out the car and then watched as Reuben got in and drove off.

“Garcia told me that that man was a godsend and is a very calming person. She approves.” Hotch said.

Spencer smiled. “He likes Garcia, too. She reminds him of Grandma Ruthie. I think she might have been his great grandma? She died a few years ago at 103, and was an active spit fire until the very end. She was wonderful. Perfectly willing to take a teen age boy with no social skills and walk him through all the important things in life….or at least what she saw as important.”

“Well, how do you want to do this?” Hotch said.

“I could take the suitcase if you can balance the cookies and your briefcase and help Jack if he needs it.” Spencer said.

“Or you could take my briefcase and I’ll get the suitcase.” Hotch said, handing the briefcase to Spencer.

Jack was already leading the way to Spencer’s room.

“How do you even know where Spencer’s room is?” Hotch asked.

Jack just shook his head. “We’ve been there more than once, Dad.”

Spencer chuckled. When they got to his room he opened the door and everyone followed into the room. Spencer shut the door. Then they all looked at each other, none knowing quite where to start.

Finally Jack, of all people, broke the silence.

“So,” he said, “Did you realty make the quilts?”

Spencer laughed. “I did.”

“Let’s see them.” Hotch said.

Spencer unzipped the large suitcase and pulled out a large quilt in different lavender and spring green colors.

“It’s called a roman square pattern, or a rail fence. I made it the summer I was 16. Jocelyn grounded me and wouldn’t even let me go home to Vegas for a full month because I’d made myself ill the year before by too much work.”

“What size is that?” Aaron asked.

“It would easily fit on a king sized bed with room to spare.”

Jack pulled out the second quilt. It was browns and pinks.

“That’s a shoo fly variation, and I made it that same time period for Grandma Ruthie, who was the one who taught me how to do the quilting stitches. Jocelyn taught me how to piece it.”

“Anything in the smaller suitcase?” Jack asked.

“Open it and see.” Spencer said.

Jack opened the suitcase and pulled out the quilt from inside. It had a black back and had all sorts of bright colors on it, all matching the bright colored owls that graced every third row.

“It’s so soft.” Jack said.

“I haven’t seen that one. Jocelyn made it for me and was going to send it for my birthday but found out I was down so gave it to me now.”

“I want one.” Jack said.

“You’ll get it. That was why I asked you for colors.”

Jack beamed.

“Is your birthday soon?” Jack asked.

Spencer smiled. “It’s early next week.”

Jack jumped up and ran to Spencer, throwing his arms around Spencer’s neck. “Your birthday’s close to me!”

“It is.” Spencer hugged Jack close for a second before Jack went back to where he’d left the blanket.

“I’d forgotten your birthday was so soon. We didn’t celebrate it last year until way late, did we?”

Spencer shrugged. “I managed.”

Hocth sat next to Spencer and nudged him with his shoulder. “You shouldn’t have had to. I should have remembered.”

Jack snorted. “Last year you didn’t remember mine until two days before it.”

Spencer looked at Hotch, astonished.

“What can I say,” Hotch said. “I was having a hard time. You were mad at all of us and I couldn’t blame you because I was still mad at myself and Emily and I didn’t know how to fix it at all, and then Morgan and Rossi were all over the whole starting to date again thing and I was stressing about that and how to even meet women.”

Spencer and Jack just shook their heads.

“Well guys, we’ve got to decide what we want to do now.” Spencer said.

“And where?” Jack asked.

“I suppose we should go look at your ‘crime scene’ Jack and try to figure that out. Your dad and I can fetch the TV remote and so we could turn it if shows you don’t like are still on.” Spencer said.

“But I don’t want to be far from you, either.” Jack said.

“I’ll bring stuff to do with me. You can help me fix up the souvenirs for the team and sort everything, and I’ll bring the consults I have to work on with me and my lap top. Think that will work?” Spencer said.

“And your blanket.” Jack said.

“And a change of clothing, in case you end up having to sleep there all night. The sofa in the main room pulls out to a bed.”

“Are you sure? I don’t think that is going to go over well.”

“Spencer, at this rate…it doesn’t matter. I just want Jack to feel as safe and comfortable as we can get him.”

“Jack do you want to help me make a pile to take with us then?” Spencer asked.

Jack nodded. He set the blanket on his dad’s lap.

“Good Lord!” Hotch said as he picked the blanket up to move it. “Something this soft has got to be sinful. Does your friend take requests?”

“That’s it.” Spencer said, after having handed his pin bag to Jack. “Toss me that thing you two are moaning over.”

Hotch tossed the blanket to him, and Spencer drew it immediately to his face. “Oh, I’m in love. I think Reuben was right too. He said he keeps one in his office. I might want mine to be with me all the time too. I think I’ll have to find a way for this to travel with me. Hmm, maybe I’ll have to send a request as well, for a smaller travel sized one.”

Jack snorted as he waited for Spencer to put the blanket down, and waited. He sighed.

“More sorting and less snuggling!” Jack snapped. “You said I could help you and it’ll be past my bed time at this rate!”

Spencer started to laugh and tossed the blanket back to Hotch. He pulled out the big suitcase.

“We’ll do this the easy way. I’ll just put all the packages in the big suitcase and we’ll work from there.”

Spencer piled bag after bag after bag into the big suitcase. He tossed Hotch his backpack, empty. He dug out smaller bags from his small satchel and he had Jack add the pin bag he gave him earlier to the big suitcase. Finally, when all the Disneyland and hotel bags he could find were in the suitcase they packed his small satchel with a change of clothing and his little bag that held his hair brush and tooth brush and soap and stuff. Jack grabbed a plate of cookies. Spencer made sure he had everything that he needed for going to the park tomorrow as well. They zipped up the large suitcase, which just barely held everything and headed to Hotch’s room.

The lights and TV were still on; of course it also wasn’t quite nine o’clock yet. Jack helped Spencer put the suitcase by the door, and then led them first to fetch the TV remote from the shelf in Beth’s room (“That wasn’t an accident, Hotch.” “I Know, Spencer.”) and then into their bedroom and the ‘crime scene’.

Hotch was furious. He’d left the suitcases stacked again in a specific manner. This had been more than just moving them. This looked like a tantrum thrown because someone couldn’t get into them.

“See. It’s a crime scene, because I didn’t think you’d toss my swim stuff and socks around, Daddy. So, as soon as I saw it, I left, except I did look in the drawers first to see if you left your other cell phone, but I couldn’t find it.”

“That’s because I had it on me.”

“I figured.” Jack said.

“What else did you try?” Hotch asked Jack.

Jack took his dad’s hand and led his out into the main room. Spencer followed, giving one last look to the room. He briefly wondered why Hotch had had his suitcases locked to begin with.

“I thought of calling, because I had your numbers on my lanyard, but…” Jack said, just pointing to the hotel telephone. Spencer hadn’t even looked at his, but he’d been in enough hotels to know that sometimes navigating through calling with the hotel phone was a feat of magic. The instructions to this one looked even worse than normal.

Hotch must have agreed. “I can see why you couldn’t figure it out. I’m not sure I could figure it out. I’m sorry I didn’t think to leave one of my cell phones with you.”

Jack shrugged. 

They turned the channel on the TV to something else, something talking about the making of amusement park rides on some sort of travel channel that Spencer thought he could handle watching and that wouldn’t bore Jack completely.

“How about you help Reid sort the basics out and I’ll go sort out the bedroom?” Hotch said.

“Do you need to dust for finger prints?” Jack asked.

“I think it will be all right this time, but while I’m in there I’ll check everything out really well, all right?”

Jack nodded and looked towards Spencer.

Spencer smiled. “Well, I guess the first thing to do would be to get ready for sorting. How should we do that?”

Jack and Spencer pulled the suitcase over to the middle of the room and sat on the floor by it. Spencer smiled at Jack’s thinking face, head tilted and lips pressed together and nose scrunched up. Then Jack smiled. “I know!”

Jack went to the desk with the phone and opened the little drawer on it. He pulled out a small notepad with the Hotel’s logo on top.

“We could write a name on a piece of paper and then put that paper down on the floor and then we’d know where to put each person’s stuff!” Jack said.

“Brilliant!” Spencer told him, smiling. “But we’ll need more than one pile for some people.”

Jack looked confused for a moment and then smiled. “Yeah, for Auntie Penny’s list of stuff and for Henry’s stuff.”

“Well, JJ’s list at least. There were a very few things on it for people other than Henry. Do you want to write half the notes for the pile and I write half?”

Jack nodded and gave Spencer a few papers. Spencer dug around in his satchel for something to write with. After finding a pencil, he looked over at Jack, who had his tongue sticking out as he concentrated on writing nicely.

“What do I need to write?” Spencer asked.

“The piles for the lists. I’ve done Miss JJ, Auntie Penny, Aunt Jess, and Uncle Dave.”

“I’ll do Emily’s and Miss Blake’s too, you do Morgan’s.”

Spencer also wrote out a note for Will and Hotch and Henry.

“How about we put Auntie Penny’s List pile behind me and then Henry’s pile to the side of you?” Jack asked.

“We’ll put each of the other papers with the name of the team right in front of us in a line.” Spencer said. “Oh, can I have three more papers?”

Jack passed the papers to Spencer. “What are you writing now?”

Spencer read off the words as he wrote. “Spencer’s stuff, Spencer’s stuff for Jack, and Spencer’s stuff for Henry.”

“Oh No. I might see what you got me!” Jack said.

“Nope, because you are going to pass each bag to me and if you can’t look in it, I’ll set it behind me and those will be the ones we go through last. What I put in your pile, you’ll be able to see.”

Jack smiled. “That works.”

Hotch came out and joined the two on the floor, sitting off to the side of Jack.

“Everything cleaned up?” Jack asked.

Hotch nodded, but didn’t reply out loud. Spencer noticed Hotch’s face was very calm looking, but not really in a good way. It was very much a work type face.

“Hotch, can you set your laptop up to get hold of Garcia, she must be frantic. Jack can help me more while you do that.” Spencer said. The stiff smile on Hotch’s face told Spencer that had been just the right tactic.

Hotch went and got his laptop and started setting it up as Jack passed bags to Spencer. A few of the bags were dark and Spencer asked for the very big dark one first. That was the bag with the original Star Wars store purchase. He placed that behind him as a whole. Taking anything out, pretty much, would ruin the surprises for Christmas. He did write down to retrieve the star wars lanyard from it later. It was a very big bag and so it was perfect to add what Jack couldn’t look at into it.

The next bags Jack handed to Spencer were the hotel’s store bags. Spencer told Jack to set them between them and to hand him three more bags, then they’d work on the bags between them for a bit. Jack handed Spencer two big Disneyland bags and a small one. The biggest of the big bags was Garcia’s purchases from the Emporium store the day before. Spencer made sure to go through and remove the mystery pins and dollar pin bags. He set the whole bag behind Jack. The other big bag had smaller bags tucked inside it and ended up being Spencer’s bag from the Emporium and the Muppet store bag and pin bag from the California Park the day before. The small bag was his stuff from Monday, which he’d also stuffed the rest of the team’s lanyards in when he’d cleaned out his satchel.

“These will be great to start with.” Spencer said. “Hotch, bring me your lanyard so it can go on your spot.”

“I’ll come join you over there in just a second; Garcia’s looking something up for me. She says to get her the names to run for your consult, by the way, and that no-one is to call her tomorrow until like four our time. She’s sleeping all day if she can manage it. They are still working their case though, so she’ll work you consults.”

“Jack, let me go get those consults to your dad, Ok? Then we’ll come do more of this. Garcia must be sooooo sleepy.”

Jack nodded and Spencer got his satchel and dug out the cold cases’ files. He also stopped off to give Jack a cookie from the plate of cookies and grab ones for Hotch and himself. While he was giving Jack his cookie he noticed Jack adding another section on the floor, to Henry from Jack. Spencer had to smile at that. He took the case that a potential answer jumped out on him on, and Hotch gave Garcia the names of the people who were the ones supposedly closest to the murdered lady and should have inherited and then looked at who might not have wanted them to and see if that led anywhere. For the second case, which involved seven murders which shared a same dump pattern, Spencer asked Garcia to look into similar situations in other states. Hotch and he tried to figure out why they hadn’t seen the case before then, since seven murders would usually mean serial, but they looked again closer and agreed it seemed to read potentially gang related and so wouldn’t have come their way. She told him she’d get back to him if anything panned out.

Spencer left the files with Hotch, who said he’d look through them as well while Garcia was running the info he’d asked for, which he didn’t say anything about to Spencer, and went back to sit by Jack. As he sat down Hotch mouthed for Spencer to keeps Jack’s attention. Spencer nodded.

Jack had dumped the small bag out on the floor so they could see what was in it better and moved the plate of cookies.

“So who got the murdered lady’s money?” Jack asked. Hotch groaned.

“Jack, I am so sorry for talking about those in the room with you. I should have not done that.” Spencer said.

Jack shrugged his shoulders. “Daddy has to all the time. It’s fine. I was just curious.”

“Not long before she died, she changed her will and left all her money to several universities and to a fund to help run programs so people can get their pets their shots and some other programs that provide health care at a price even poor people can handle.”

“Oh.”

“So what do we have here?” Spencer asked.

“Lanyards and an extra autograph book.” Jack said.

“Let’s lay the lanyards out then. Dopey goes to Rossi. I thought JJ and Will could have the ones with the mouse heads, pink for JJ and the light blue for Will. And Garcia gets the pink princesses.”

“That leaves Tigger, Tinker Bell in red and lavender, and this blue one with shoes and hats and stuff.” Jack said.

“And we have your Aunt Jess, Prentiss and Miss Blake, and Morgan.”

“I think we should give Derek the Tigger one, and the Tinker Bell ones to Miss Emily and Miss Blake, and Aunt Jess will like the one with the hats.” Jack said, placing each by the right note. “Who is the Autograph book for?”

“It is always good to have an extra or two. I had an extra in my bag and this one at the start. If we decide to, maybe we can get a few signatures in it for Henry tomorrow.”

Jack smiled. “Put it in your satchel!”

Spencer tucked the book into his satchel. 

“There are a few pins in here.” Jack said. He handed Spencer the bag and Spencer shook it out.

“Oh, I know what these are. Can you remember?” Spencer asked Jack. Jack looked at them.

“Oh! It’s the pins from Tuesday! Daddy? I need my lanyard, it’s in my bag!” Jack jumped up and ran to where Hotch indicated he’d placed Jack’s bag. He ran back to Spencer with his bag on and his lanyard in hand.

“You picked out Pooh Bear and then I bought one with the princesses on it for you as well, because then you could have something to remind you of seeing the princesses.” Spencer said.

“Let’s put them on!” Jack handed Spencer his lanyard and Spencer pinned on Jack’s Tuesday pins.

“Jack, come talk to Auntie Penny for a little bit. She really wants to see you for a few minutes.” Hotch called as they got ready to open the next bag. Spencer nodded to Jack and Jack went to speak with Garcia over the web. Spencer took that time to look into the next few bags and pull out a few of the things that were for Jack for Christmas. Hotch came over and asked to look as well, leaving Jack a bit of time to talk to Garcia without his dad hovering and maybe hearing something Jack wasn’t willing to say in front of them (like how horrid Beth was being).

“What have you tucked away there?” Hotch asked.

“I got two other ships and figures for Jack for Christmas. I got Henry the same sets for Christmas as well. I don’t want Jack to see Henry’s and spoil his Christmas.” Spencer whispered.

“To go with the things I’ve seen?” Hotch asked.

“I think that will make a good gift for each, maybe a bit more than I’d usually give them, but sometimes I’m allowed to go overboard, I think.” Spencer said.

Hotch chuckled. “I know Jack will be happy.”

“Do you think I should separate the team’s souvenirs into souvenirs and a Christmas gift?”

“Probably wouldn’t hurt.”

“I’ll send Prentiss hers all at once, though. I think the t-shirts will be for Christmas. I’d put the ornaments as Christmas gifts, as well, but I want people to be able to use them this year and some people take down their Christmas stuff soon after Christmas, so I’ll give them to people as souvenirs.”

“You got Rossi a t-shirt? Jack was thinking about getting coffee cups all around.”

“I got everyone a t-shirt and Jack is a brilliant kid. He has good observation skills and is very adept at thinking about what others would like. Jack knows about the t-shirts, but that should be fine. Close your eyes.”

Spencer removed the t-shirts from the hotel bag and placed them in the bag behind him.

“You can open your eyes now.” Spencer said. Hotch watched as Spencer then dug through and pulled out two which he put on the ‘Spencer’s stuff’ note. He pulled out one smaller one which he put on the ‘Spencer for Henry’ note. He placed the rest of the bag into the spot to his side. He reached into the Disneyland bag and pulled out three t-shirts, two of which were pink. He tucked those into the Christmas bag behind him. 

Hotch laughed.

“This is actually going to be easier than you would think.” Spencer said. “I paid for Garcia’s list with her card, and JJ’s list with her card, so they were always bagged separately.” 

“Dad! Garcia wants to talk to you and Spencer.” Jack called.

Spencer and Hotch walked to where the computer was set up.

“Jack cover your ears my sweet baby! I can see so don’t just pretend.” Garcia said. As soon as she saw Jack’s ears covered she spoke. “Spencer, your second case is probably solved. Other murders with the same dump happened about two months after the ones there stopped in Arizona, but the guy was caught in the act of dumping on the second body. They knew he’d committed more crimes, but the guy wouldn’t speak so they didn’t know where and they couldn’t be bothered to look hard for a where either. The contact info for your cops to get in touch with those in Arizona is now on your phone. I’m still running your other case and Hotch’s info.”

“Sweet. That will be a load off the Pasadena PD’s back.” Spencer said.

“Now tell my sweet baby to talk more with Auntie Penny. I’m giving you guys a half hour more run time and if you get nothing then you get nothing! I only gave my sweets here a half hour more as well, and then this girl is going to bed. Now off you two. Jack Jack and I need some more chat time.”

Jack waved them away as well, so Spencer and Hotch went back to the piles. Spencer decided to finish the Disneyland bag that he’d taken the t-shirt out of. He pulled out the bag from the Muppet store and the pins from the California park. He placed his cookie cutters on the Spencer’s stuff pile, and his coffee mug, and then he took out the matching t-shirts and ears. He placed Jack’s ears and t-shirt on the ‘to Jack from Spencer’ card, and his ears and t-shirt on his pile. He pulled out some smaller bags which he set in his pile as well after peeking into them. He put the rest of the bag into the middle with the other bag. He put the pin bag there as well, in whole. He pulled his Muppet figurines from the bag and put them on his pile. Hotch’s eyebrows raised higher with each item pulled out. Hotch leaned forward to look more closely at the Muppets.

“Those your favorite?” Hotch asked. He snagged a cookie from the plate and tossed one to Spencer who set it back onto the plate, but off to the side so he knew which was his.

“I also really like Kermit and the old guys and Gonzo. Mostly, I just like the Muppets. We used to watch them, my mom and me. She actually liked the show, it made her laugh. She managed to record it and when she was bad, I’d find the videos and put them on and it would often calm her down on days when reading or reciting works she loved didn’t.” Spencer said. Hotch nodded. Spencer pulled out Garcia’s Muppet bag and the Miss Piggy Plushy and Sully and Boo plushy.

“Ah,” Hotch said. “Jack said not to buy Sully for Garcia, now I see why. We did buy it for JJ though.”

“You might have your work cut out for you finding Garcia plushies. She also has a stuffed Minnie and stuffed Daisy in the bag behind Jack’s spot. You could probably go with Nemo or a Princess or Mickey.”

He looked in the bag and pulled out his Muppet Vinylmation boxes and then left the rest in the bag, he pulled out the Kermit lanyard and Muppets pins and set them all on his pile. “Two of the other vinylmations are mine as well, but I figured we’d open them and just match from there. We’ll sort out the pins then as well. Get me more bags, please.”

Hotch grabbed three more bags and handed them to Spencer. One bag was all his Wednesday stuff stuffed into the one, minus the big bag behind him. He pulled the bag that had the stuffed toys and t-shirts that they bought before meeting up with Hotch out, and the bag from the pin store was put directly in the pile to Spencer’s side. The ears were pulled out and placed in each individual’s pile.

“Opps.” Spencer said as he was distributing the hats. “I don’t have a pile for Beth.”

“Just set it next to mine, I guess.” Hotch said.

“It’s only the hat and the ornament. I haven’t been feeling very generous towards her.”

Hotch just nodded. Spencer took the jungle t-shirts for him and Jack out of a bag and then handed the bag to Hotch.

“Those are the stuffed animals that Jack bought for Henry.” Spencer told Hotch. Hotch looked inside the bag.

“Ah, the reason he insists we owe you twenty bucks.” Hotch said. 

“It’s fine.” Spencer said.

“No, Jack is right. If it is from him to Henry, then you shouldn’t be buying it. Besides he does have his own money to use if he wants. We cashed in his penny banks before we came. I’ll let him give it to you later. You’ll take it and make him happy.” He set the bag onto the ‘Henry from Jack’ tag.

Spencer laughed. “Fair enough.”

Finally Spencer reached into the bag and pulled out each already labeled ornament and tucked it into the right pile. The five ornaments left in the bag went into his pile. 

The next bags Hotch gave Spencer were several smaller bags. Spencer found the other ornament bag, and gave Hotch the ones he’d bought (“How is it I’ve ended up with half your purchases in my stuff?” “Because you make a wonderful pack mule, Spencer.”) and found the Nemo ornaments and moved them to Garcia’s pile from Garcia’s list, and then tucked the other ornaments Jack talked him into onto his pile. Garcia’s pink pirate hat was found and placed on her pile as well. Again the pin bag was dropped to Spencer’s side.

Hotch looked to the rest of the packages.

“JJ’s and still a few of Garcia’s and the Star wars store stuff from yesterday.”

Before they started going through them, though Jack came over. “Garcia says to go talk to her now. We had our chat.”

Hotch got up to head to the computer. “You too, Spencer.” Jack said. “I won’t look into anything.”

“I know, I trust you,” Spencer told him. “You can look in the stuff in the piles though, if you’d like.”

Jack was beaming as Spencer headed to the computer.

“Ok, baby boy,” Garcia said as soon as she could see Spencer. “A grandnephew of that nice old lady was never in the will. He was mad, he’d made threats years ago when he first found out, when he was about 12, but he stopped when he got just a bit older and not so much a dumb teen. After college, he and a friend started doing very well in a business they started. However, it seems the dear old lady’s other relatives were counting on that money. Several lost businesses after she didn’t leave it to them, or in a few cases when she didn’t die early enough to bail them out. Those that lost their businesses afterwards though, this grandnephew bought them up after they went under. Now, he and his partner were in Europe when she died, and had been for a while and came back after she died. He might have had someone do it though, or it might have been one of those who’d been counting on the money and she didn’t die quick enough for.”

“Did you find out who made her change her will?” Hotch asked.

“They all did. She caught them being nasty to the grandnephew that wasn’t in it, bragging about how much they were going to get and how they’d be richer than he was without the hard work. She told them all off in the will. All the contact info and other info and where I found it is now also on your phone so you can write it up.”

“Great. Thank you Garcia.” Spencer said.

“Now, is it all right for Spencer to hear the results to your inquiry, dear fearless leader?” Garcia asked.

“It is fine, just finish up. It is past your bedtime.”

“Ah, can’t go to bed just yet. Morgan and crew need my report to them in fifteen. Anyway. I looked and I couldn’t find any unauthorized use on any of your cards, however there have been some interesting charges to the hotel room, several of which you apparently signed for. I personally suspect the digging around was for a signature to copy. She also might have been trying to use your laptop, but since I know she can’t get into it…and I checked that she didn’t, she was thwarted there. However she used the free use computers at the Hotel’s play area to post on a board offering items up for sale, using her cell number and the hotel room as the contact info. An autograph book, a lanyard, some pins, some kids toys-specifics to be posted later.”

“She told me to get rid of the stuff Spencer gave him last night.” Hotch said. “And she’s been mad each time Jack mentioned things he’d received. Luckily all Jack’s stuff from before last night was still in with Spencer’s stuff, except his lanyard, but that was always with him. And all his birthday stuff was locked in my suitcase.”

“I’ll see what I can do about some of the charges, Hotch, but you’ll probably have to pay most of them. I can get you out of paying things she had delivered using your signature while you were not there, if you’d like.”

“How much are we looking at?”

“Wednesday, about a hundred in women’s intimates and swimwear, from the hotel boutique. That does not buy near as much as you think it should, either. Today and last night, though, she went through about six hundred. Spa treatments at the hotel, room service. Some very nice meals in the hotel restaurants, money spent at the bars in the hotel, alcohol delivered to the room. A hundred was dropped on a single bottle of Champaign and another eighty or so on those little mini bottles. Mega bucks to have the porn play all night on multiple porn channels. Tickets for something this afternoon and clothing she got through a service which allows the charges made as part of the room bill. However, you used your credit card several times at the park at the same times she’d forged your signature for her treats, so I can place you away and not able to have signed for anything.”

“Anything Tuesday?”

“Tuesday she had fun with her own cards. She had her hair done at a solon that is like exclusive, looks like three hours there and I’d say two and half were the wait since all she had done was a trim and wash and then her nails done at like the most expensive nail place ever, fingers and toes. Ate very fancy and at another forever wait place for that. And that was lunch. Dinner was at some foodie thing, and oh…she’s had reservations for that for three months. Looks like Beth and Jack day was always just Beth day in her mind. She also tried on very expensive wedding gowns and that took a reservation as well where she went.”

“I want you to get me copies of each and every transaction you don’t think I made. I will tell you now, I have not had anything to drink of an alcoholic nature since I got here and neither have I ordered any porn. I want as much info as you can include with it. Security footage if you have any. I also want you to see if you can get rid of the posts on whatever that was that she posted offering pins and the toys. That could only come from Jack and I’m going to have Spencer take all our stuff to his place. Spencer bought the other two items for her, so I guess it’s up to him about those.”

“I don’t care,” Spencer said.

“That all?” Garcia asked.

“For now. I don’t want to short money to anyone who didn’t think anything was wrong. However, she will be paying every cent back or I will be prosecuting her for the theft.”

“It’s nearly ten now, has she returned?” Garcia asked.

“Nope. I’m sure she’ll be here soon. I think she figured a half hour meet and greet type time and at least the same travel time. I got home right after ten Tuesday.” Hotch said.

“Your information is on the way. I’ve got to run; the team is ready for their info to be presented. Peace and love my dears.”

The screen went blank. 

Spencer looked at Hotch and then to Jack, who was looking in Spencer’s ‘for spencer’ pile. He leaned close and whispered. “You thought she was stealing from you?”

“Last night when we got back, our bedroom door was open and the light was on and our bags didn’t look quite right. I set the bags just so each time I left today, and each time they were not right when I got back here. I can’t think of instance before yesterday but I also wasn’t paying any attention at all to things like that. I didn’t want to take a chance so I had Garcia look. Apparently it had happened before yesterday.”

Spencer patted Hotch on the back. “I’m sorry, for what it’s worth. I never expected anything like this.”

“I knew she was extremely mad after Wednesday morning when I left before she wanted me to. Extremely mad.”

“We’ll worry about it later,” Spencer said, looking towards Jack again. “Let’s go finish our project.”

Spencer and Hotch joined Jack, Hotch sitting in Jack’s spot and putting Jack on his lap.

“Haven’t we come across any of JJ’s list stuff?” Jack asked.

“Not yet,” Spencer said. “Want to do those bags over to the side now or start with the pins and things I need help with?”

“Let’s get those bags done first. I’ll bring you two.” Jack said, getting off his dad’s lap to fetch two bags.

Spencer looked in the first. “Ah Ha! Garcia’s stuff from the Star Wars store.”

“Can I see?” Jack asked. 

“Yes,” said Spencer. He pulled out the Mickey Characters as Star Wars characters sets that Jack had got for his birthday, Darth Vader and Darth Maul figurines, a Princess Lea hat and a Chewbacca hat. They put it all back into the bag and put the bag in the Garcia’s List pile.

The next bag was JJ’s from the Star Wars store. “Let’s make sure JJ’s doesn’t have all Henry’s stuff in it.” Spencer said.

“What doesn’t belong?” Jack asked.

“I got Henry the Disney Star Wars Characters sets, too, as part of my souvenirs to him.” Spencer said.

Jack beamed. “I’m glad. I was thinking he might be sad because his godfather got me so much. He might think you didn’t love him.”

“Jack, people have more than enough love for lots of people at once. I know you know that.” Hotch said.

“I know, Daddy, but maybe Henry thinks like Beth does.” Jack said.

“I’m sure Henry doesn’t.” Spencer said. “But I made sure to get Henry a good amount. I just got you more because I get to do that when we are together someplace like this. That’s what makes having Jack and Spencer day and time so great. I’ve taken Henry to museums for Henry and Spencer time and Henry’s got mementos from those days just like you get mementos from Disneyland.”

“Do you ever buy me stuff when you take Henry to museums?” Jack asked.

“When I find something you need for Christmas, I do. Where do you think the Dinosaurs and the fossil dig set came from?”

“Did Henry get some, too?”

“I got Henry a stuffed Dino, but he was too young for the set I bought you and way too young for the fossil dig.”

“So you bought me more, even when he was with you? Wasn’t he mad?”

“Of course not, I just told him it was for your Christmas and he was happy to help me buy it. Would you get mad if I bought Henry more things than you?” Spencer asked.

“No, but Henry is your godson. I’m not anything.”

Spencer lifted Jack out of Hotch’s lap. “You are my Hotch’s Jack. I may not get to cart you off as much as Henry, because I’m not officially your anything either and have no excuse like ‘godfather duties’ to use, but I care for you just as much as I care for Henry and I think about you just as much as I think about Henry. And I will always be there if you need me. No matter what, no matter when, if you call for my help I will get to you as fast as I possibly can.”

“Like tonight.”

“Just like tonight.”

“Even when we get home?”

“Even when we get home. And maybe, if you’d like it, I’ll talk your dad into letting us do more things together, maybe even with Henry. That way you’ll both know I care.”

Jack hugged Spencer and crawled back into his dad’s lap. “Can I, Dad?”

“Of course. It would be wonderful.” Hotch said. He was frowning again.

Spencer sighed. “Hotch, your turn to fetch bags, reach me two more. Jack, check JJ’s bag.”

“I didn’t see ones like you got me. There is a toy in there though, and three t-shirts and a stuffed Ewok. He’s cute. I might want one of those.” Jack said. Hotch handed Spencer the bags.

Spencer looked into the first that Hotch handed him. “Found the bag of JJ’s list from the Buzz store. Stuffed toy story characters, play sets, and a t-shirt.”

“Did you get Henry anything from the toy story store?” Jack asked Spencer.

“A set of green aliens like I got you, I think they are funny and it was not on JJ’s list.”

They set the two bags onto the JJ’s list pile. Spencer then took the second bag. “And here is the rest of the Buzz store. Let’s get my stuff out from Garcia’s stuff.” Spencer took out a Perry the Platypus stuffed critter and some Phineas and Ferb figurines out. He set the Phineas and Ferb figurines into his ‘for Jack’ pile and put Perry in his own pile. He fetched Henry’s green aliens and placed them in Henry’s pile. Then he handed the bag to Hotch to place in the ‘Garcia’s list’ pile.

Hotch handed the last bags to Spencer. “My star wars stuff.” Spencer said as he opened one of them.

Spencer pulled out some Disney as Star wars sets for Henry out of the bag and put those in Henry’s pile. He then pulled a t-shirt in his size out, a coffee mug, a Chewbacca hat, three vinylmation star wars boxes, the Disney star wars set for himself, a vinylmation pin set, and other star wars pins. He put all that in his pile. He put the rest, the hidden mickey mystery pouches and the dollar pouches on the floor right in front of him. He took the last bag, peeked in and found JJ’s stuff from the emporium store and set it whole into JJ’s pile.


	14. chapter 14

Jack and Hotch looked at the piles of bags in the middle of Hotch and Spencer.

“This is the hard part. We go through that and figure out what goes where.” Spencer said.

“We had best get started,” Hotch said. He picked up the first bag and dumped its contents on the floor in front of his lap.

“Oh! These are our Old Mickey Pins!” Jack cried out. “Remember when the river boat came around the corner and you could see the old Mickey at the wheel! That was so cool! And the pirates on the pirate ship! And Mickey when he fought the dragon! I loved that show.” Spencer smiled. 

“You picked the easiest bag, Hotch,” Spencer said. Spencer helped Jack put on the three pins, and Spencer put his three on. They took all four hidden mickey pouches and the mystery pin pouch and added to the pile starting in front of Reid. Spencer looked at the bags. “Jack, reach into the suitcase and find the baggie of pins and the bag that kind of looks like an overnight bag, remember the one I gave you earlier?”

Jack hopped over the piles to where the large suitcase was and pulled out the pin bag and the baggie. Spencer nodded and Jack hopped back. “Your bag has Pluto on it!” Jack said. “I didn’t notice that earlier. Is he your favorite?”

“Sometimes. I really like lots of the Disney characters, though, most of the time. We watched a lot of Disney shows when I was young.”

“I would have thought your Mother rather hated Disney.” Hotch said.

Spencer chuckled. “I think you might misunderstand the term ‘watch’ when it involves my mother and most anything. We watched, we took notes, we analyzed. She rather liked all the Disney movies based of fairy tales and folk stories. We’d watch them, and we looked up other versions of those tales and my mom knew so many of them. She wrote books with another person when I was tiny and before I was born looking into comparative folk tales and fairy tales, and Robin Hood. Anyway, then we’d discuss why the Disney company told the story the way they did. I just kept up with that pattern even after I’d moved from home, but I only watched those movies based off stories I knew already, really, so I missed some.”

“Did you ever just watch anything?” Jack asked.

Spencer chuckled. “A few things. The Muppet show and a few TV shows. Not much though. My mom wasn’t very big on not turning any moment into a learning tool. All right, now we are really ready to start tackling this middle pile,” Spencer said. Then he looked down again. “Opps, not quite. Hotch, we need your lanyard.”

“Mine?”

“Yep. You need your pins.”

“I think I’d rather you help me put together one slightly different tomorrow. I want a story lanyard like yours and Jack’s.”

Spencer smiled. “Sounds like a plan then, we’ll just be able to spread things farther. Pull me up a bag.”

Jack laughed and closed his eyes and reached into the pile. He pulled out a bag and handed it to Spencer, who dumped it out onto the floor.

“Another easy one.”

“Look, Dad! It’s my Toy Story ride pin.” Jack said. Spencer handed it to Hotch, who put it Jack’s lanyard. Spencer fished out his Mickey Wheel and Buzz and Woody pins, attaching them to his lanyard. 

“We have seven Duffy Bear pins. Who gets what?”

“Well, Emily needs the UK bear.” Hotch said.

“We have more than seven people to give pins to, Spencer.” Jack said.

“And we have plenty of pins to go around. We have the baggie of pins from Patrick and all these pins in the pouches that we haven’t seen yet. We’ll go through the sets first and then fill out more with others.” Spencer said.

Hotch looked closer at the bear pins. “I think Uncle Dave would prefer to have some other sort of bear, Pooh Bear would work. However, I think Aunt Jess would like the little German Bear.”

“Derek might like the baseball one?” Jack said.

“I think we could give the French one to Will and we’ll give the Canadian bear to Miss Blake.” Spencer said. He’d been opening the package and pulling the pins off as the others were talking, pinning them to the appropriate lanyard. 

“How about the bear with the big hat to Auntie Penny and the one in red to Henry’s mom?” Jack said.

“And we are done with that bag.” Spencer said.

“How will we remember Uncle Dave didn’t get one of that set?” Jack asked, worried.

“It’s Spencer, he’ll just know.” Hotch said.

“But how will he know?"

Hotch was about to answer Jack when the door opened and a voice was heard.

“Now listen you little brat, your dad is to never find ou….Oh.” Beth said as she came through the door, and then lifted her head to face into the room. The change was instantaneous. “Oh Aaron, how was your lecture?” She started with a simpering voice. “You poor dear, I’m sure it was horrid, just like last time. All those nasty kids wanting to see your gun... I’m sure you didn’t show them it at all, of course.”

Spencer and Jack looked at each other and tried to decide if they should start laughing or not.

“Beth, you and I are going to go have a chat.” Hotch said. “We will be doing so outside of this room, so I suggest you decide on someplace, now.”

“Finally! Oh, Aaron, I knew you’d come around to my way of thinking. We could go out dancing. You’ll have to change though. I heard all about this club not too far from here. There is a section that is away a bit and caters to an older clientele if you insist on that, but I’m sure we are both young enough to just party with the younger set without a problem.”

“Oh no Beth, I don’t think you are getting the right picture. We are going to talk about today and in particular about this evening.” Aaron said.

“I’m not. I don’t feel like it. It was a horrid day and I don’t think I should have to talk about it at all.” Beth said.

“Oh, but I think you do and you will.”

“But Aaron…”

“Beth, I wasn’t happy with you this morning. I was even less happy by noon. Now? It really is best I don’t label what I am now in front of my child. Just turn around and head out the door. Spencer, I’ll be back in a little bit, take good care of Jack for me.”

Spencer smiled and settled Jack onto his own lap from Hotch’s. “Of course I will. We will figure out what everyone likes. Have any definite no-no’s?”

“Try to keep Dave’s Daisy and Donald Duck free, and maybe even princess free.” Hotch said, as he stood and headed to the door. He mouthed ‘Keep Jack from worrying’ right before he reached the door. Spencer nodded.

The door shut and Spencer hugged Jack.

“She’s gonna be so mad at me.” Jack said.

“Jack, nothing she can say can make your dad forget that she left you tonight, after he’d told her not to even, and placed his most precious thing in the whole world in danger.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“You think he’s really mad?” Jack asked.

“I think he is beyond really mad. But everything will be all right. Should we get to work?” 

Jack nodded, but then looked at the cookies. Spencer handed him one and took the one he’d set aside. 

“These are yummy. Did you learn how to make cookies at Rueben’s house too, when you were little?” Jack asked.

“I knew how to make cookies before, but Grandma Ruthie taught me how to make cakes from scratch and pretty Jell-O and host fabulous parties. Not that I hosted many, but Grandma Ruthie insisted I needed to know how.”

“You should host one for everyone when we get back.” Jack said, licking his fingers and settling down to work again.

“I’m not sure people throw parties like the ones she taught me how to host anymore. Most the books she had me read on the subject were from the 1950’s and the 1920’s and one was even from 1902.”

“Those are old!” Jack said.

Spencer nodded and grabbed the next bag. Jack decided he couldn’t see well enough and moved off Spencer’s lap into the spot Hotch had been sitting. Spencer dumped out the bag. The pins they’d bought Wednesday spilled onto the floor.

“Hand one card for the cupcakes and one card of the Disney characters to me.” Spencer said. Jack handed to sets over and Spencer tucked them whole into his pin bag. Spencer took the Nightmare before Christmas pack and handed it to Jack, who gave it back so it could be set as a whole on his ‘for Jack’ pile.

“Uncle Dave needs the Mickey cupcake and the Pluto pin.” Jack said. “And Auntie Penny needs the yellow icing cupcake with the ribbon and Miss Emily needs the one with paw prints.”

“How about giving your aunt the Minnie cupcake and Derek Donald?”

“Yeah. Who else?”

“We could give Henry one and then set the other one into a pile to trade with tomorrow. Then we could see if we could get matching ones for JJ and Will.”

“Does Henry have a thing to put pins on?”

“Somewhere in here, and his has two extra pins we need to take off and spread out.”

“Cool.”

They decided to give Henry Goofy and save the Pluto cupcake pin. They split the other set up giving Goofy to Miss Blake, Stitch to Aunt Jess, Chip and Dale to Garcia, Minnie to JJ and Mickey to Will and finally Donald Duck to Henry. They moved all the pouched pins to the pile in front of Spencer. Jack pulled out another bag. Jack handed it to Spencer who dumped that one onto the floor in front of them as well. Spencer fished out the mystery pouches and Jack looked at the pile.

“There’s no pins.” Jack said.

Spencer laughed. “Ok, fish out one of each of the little ball keychains. There should be nine different ones. Those go to me directly. I could only find nine different ones of them in the bin I was looking in.”

Jack fished through the pile of stuff and placed each of the key chains in a line. “Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, rainbow, American flag, Pirate Mickey, Sorcerer Mickey and…”

“And a pink one.” Spencer said, dropping a princess one into line. “These go into my pile. Then I have three bright magnets, one that says Disneyland, one that has the characters, and a sorcerer mickey one and one bright tinker bell magnet goes to my mom, and then I have four metal magnets in a bag, mickey parts. We’ll find my other ones as we go through.”

Jack fished those out while Spencer was listing, getting a nod when he got the right ones. 

“You are really good at finding things quickly. Now the rest goes to piles and we will have extras. I’ll put the extras into a pile to give to others we know as souvenirs.”

“Can we do Minnie and Mickey again for Henry’s mom and dad?” Jack asked. 

“Certainly, and a princess one for Auntie Penny and Miss Emily. How about a rainbow one for Miss Blake? Would your Aunt Jess like a rainbow one, too? That way no one at work has matching ones.” Spencer said.

Jack nodded. “The pirate one for Uncle Dave, he likes pirates and the one with the wizard hat for Henry.”

“Donald or the American one for your dad?” Spencer asked.

“The red white and blue one, I like it best.” Jack said.

“Derek gets Donald, then. Now which one do you want?” Spencer asked.

“I get to choose one?” Jack asked.

“Of course. Henry gets one and you get one.”

“Can I have the other pirate mickey?”

“Of course.” Spencer said. Jack fished the Pirate Mickey out of the pile. “Did you look at the keychains in your cup?”

“I haven’t dumped my cup out yet.” Jack said. “Can you remember what is in it?”

Spencer nodded. “I figured the key chains could work go on your backpacks and such, but because of that I wanted more sturdy ones so they are all metal. There is a Mickey one, and Tigger one and a Disney Kids one that has ‘Jack’ on it. Then there are magnets, one dated, one like mine with all the Characters, and one that is a photo frame and says Disneyland across the bottom. Then there were some of those Disney necklaces that look like military tags in there. There should be some more in the pile somewhere. There are two straws for you as well, but I didn’t put it in your cup. I didn’t want to open the package until you can take them directly home.”

Jack looked into the pile. There were three more cups in it. “Who do the cups go to?” Jack asked.

“Hand them to me, I’m putting them at my place so there will be non-breakable drinking cups there. JJ had to leave Henry with me a few weeks ago because their place was being fumigated while they were going out. Poor Henry had to drink out of a measuring cup because all the coffee mugs were too heavy for him to hold steady.”

Jack laughed and handed Spencer the cups and the straws (one pack held four).

“Now to sort out magnets. How about we just think of what others may like and see if we can find a magnet in there for them?” Spencer said.

Jack laughed again and started.

“Small and not to exciting for Uncle Dave.” Jack said.

“Oh, I know. There is a set of little glass marble magnets. Those would work, or the other set of Mickey parts.”

Jack chose the other set of Mickey parts and put the little glass marble magnet set into his father’s pile. He chose set of Tinker Belle magnets for Garcia and a set of princess ones for his Aunt Jess. Then they picked three different sets of bottle cap magnets for Henry’s family, Tinker Belle, Buzz Lightyear, and Mickey and friends. The only sets left were Pooh Bear and princess bottle caps, and then there were about five or six bright rubbery ornaments and then a bunch of rectangles.

“Do you want to give Derek the Pooh Bear set? Or we can make Derek a set.” Spencer said.

“We can?” Jack asked.

“Flip over the rectangles.”

The rectangles flipped over and Jack saw not characters really, but like character parts.

“I think a set of three would work, since these are larger. Pick one of the Mickey eyes, and one that looks like Mickey’s clothes, and one that has Pluto’s eyes.”

Jack found one of each and handed them to Spencer, who placed them one Derek’s pile. They decided on splitting up the princess bottle cap magnets and give two each to Miss Emily and Miss Blake. The Pooh bears were claimed by Spencer, who also pulled out his set of rectangles. He fished out the dog tag necklaces and added the whole bunch to his pile. Jack claimed the Cheshire cat rectangle and the Monster’s Inc. rectangle to add to his pile. The rest left on the floor were put back into the bag.

Jack yawned as they were cleaning that set up and looked at the door. It was the first time he had done so since Hotch had left and so Spencer was rather proud of how long he’d managed to distract Jack. “Do you think Dad will be back soon?”

“Probably not too much longer,” Spencer said. “I guess it depends on how well Beth is actually paying attention to him and how much she is trying to talk her way out of this.”

“Can I come sit on your lap?” Jack said.

“Of course.” Spencer said. Jack climbed into Spencer lap and leaned against him. Spencer grabbed the next bag and instead of dumping it out in front of him just reached in and pulled items out.

“Oh, it’s the bag from the Muppet place.” Jack said with another yawn. 

Spencer made sure he could tuck things into his pin bag and started pulling things out of the bag. The first was a Muppet pin set. Spencer opened it and slid it out to reach the mystery pin for it. It was Rowlf and so spencer slid the card back into its plastic and put the whole thing into his pin bag. 

“Why’d you do it that way?” Jack asked.

“I like Rowlf. If I like the other mystery one I’ll add it to my set as well, otherwise we’ll put it towards being split onto the souvenirs.”

The next item Spencer pulled out was indeed the other set. They opened it and Spencer opened the mystery pin. “It’s Sweetums. He comes to my set, too.”

Jack looked at the card with the pins on it.

“Could we give someone more than one from the card?” Jack asked.

“Why?”

“Uncle Dave needs both old guys.”

Spencer laughed. “You are right, he does. And we can do this however we want.”

Spencer and Jack pinned both old guy muppets to Dave’s lanyard and looked at who was left on the card.

“Fozzie to Derek and the Professor to Miss Blake.” Spencer said.

“Miss Piggy to Henry’s mom, I think she likes Miss Piggy and Auntie Penny got a Miss Piggy stuffed pig.” Jack said.

“How about Beaker to Emily?” Spencer asked.

Jack nodded. Spencer was pleased, he thought Emily would get a kick out of Beaker and think of him when she saw it. They pinned them all where they needed to go and Jack snuggled in again.

Spencer pulled the next item out of the bag. He figured he’d try for just the vinylmation boxes for a bit, see if Jack would fall asleep.

“Spencer, why does Derek think you wouldn’t hold me?” Jack asked.

Spencer chuckled. “I don’t like touching strangers and I’m really not a very touchy feely person with people.”

“You picked up Jade.” Jack said. “You’ve been holding me.”

“Kids are different. Kids deserve to be touched when they want to be -held, hugged, have their head patted, carried - From a trusted adult or someone they are comfortable with. Only when they want to be though, not when they don’t want to be. Although, sometimes when they need to be.”

“Like when you picked me up to get me through the line without me getting hurt?”

“Yeah.”

“How come Derek didn’t know that?”

Spencer thought for a few minutes how to explain to Jack. He ran his hand over Jack’s head as he thought. “When we see kids at work, it isn’t often at a good time. If they themselves haven’t been the ones hurt, someone they know and love has been. I’m a strange guy who they don’t know and I’m not even one who people feel comfortable around right from the start. Kids tend to need to get to know me for a few minutes before warming to me so I don’t usually have enough time to get to the point where I’d even offer. Also, we almost always have JJ or one of the other women with us and kids generally do feel safer with women from the start.”

“I don’t know why kids don’t feel comfortable around you right from the start.” Jack said. “You’re not scary looking. Derek can be sometimes, and I know Dad can be sometimes.”

Spencer laughed. “I am awkward looking and kids sense that, but you know, there have been cases where that has made me more likeable to kids. I think sometimes the others just forget those, because they don’t see it. If they are focused on something else, they remember what they were focused on and not that I ended up with the kid. Also a lot of times when we meet kids they are looking for someone like Morgan and your Dad, who can be scary looking. They are strong and kids can sense they’d be good protectors, able to beat-up a bad guy.”

Jack nodded. “I guess that makes sense. I like you, though. Being around you is like a big hug. And you make just as good of a protector as Derek does, even better really. Look how he is about Beth. You wanted us to tell the truth and were upset that she upset me. He didn’t care.”

“That is a type of protection that isn’t often sensed without time.” Spencer said.

“Maybe, but I think they just don’t know you very well. They don’t know me very well either, I don’t think, even Uncle Dave. They think Beth is more important for dad than me.”

Spencer did hug Jack after that. “If they don’t you well, that is their loss. You are just wonderful. And you will always be more important than Beth, or any other woman or man or dog or elephant or anyone or anything to your dad. You just have to remember that and I’ll remind him if he seems to be forgetting. You lean back and we’ll open these. I have no idea what we’ll find, we pulled from all the different blind box series they had in the store.”

They ended up with a crying yellow baby which they gave to JJ, one that looked like a cupcake was dripping down its head which Spencer kept, one that was Herbie the Love Bug which they gave to Rossi, one that looked like a painting with different colored squares which they gave to Prentiss. Jack stopped responding to Spencer after that one, so Spencer opened the rest himself. He gave the figure that looked like Goofy to Derek, the Carousel to Garcia, and one he was sure was supposed to be the Astro Orbiter to Hotch. He finally decided that Alex Blake could have the Mushu and he’d keep the black one with all the sets of eyes. He wrote a note to get more of the figures when they were out the next day. Jack was asleep. Spencer went to move him, but Jack grabbed onto his shirt and whimpered. Spencer just sighed, shifted his weight a little to get more comfortable, and went back to working through the stuff. His mind raced through other thoughts as he worked.

He was thinking about previous trips to Disneyland and Ian and his girls. They headed to Disneyland so often that he rarely got them anything from Disneyland. He always focused on items from around where he was. Last Christmas he’d sent Christmas ornaments from the major DC sites like the Capitol Building and White House and the different memorials. He thought this year he might do Smithsonian ornaments and maybe paper dolls or something like that. It would also be a great place to take Henry and Jack. As he was thinking about that he sorted pins. The next set of pins was the animated characters vinylmation set, and Spencer treated the mystery pin for it like he did the Muppets. He opened the set and slid it out till he could get to the hidden pin and opened it. He got the dog, which he thought was cute, so he kept it and slid the whole card into his pin bag. He pulled out the other card and that one’s hidden pin was some odd mythological looking critter, and Spencer wasn’t even sure he knew what movie it was from. He decided to give that one to Emily, and that she’d know. The cat went to Garcia and the frog went to Will. Spencer was highly pleased with himself when he recognized it from the princess and frog movie. He gave the Mushu pin to Alex as well, Pinocchio to Derek, Aladdin to Jess and Peter Pan to Rossi. Spencer paused long enough to write down his idea for Ian and his family’s Christmas.

Spencer reached into the bag beside him and found Henry’s lanyard and removed it from its wrapper, removing the two extra pins. He put them on to Morgan’s and Rossi’s lanyards and pinned all of the pins that had been in Henry’s pin pile onto Henry’s lanyard. He was running ideas for other outings as he worked. The zoo, of course. The park that held all the hand on workshops in arts and dance and such near Bethesda would be fun. Maybe he could even manage a day at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, he’d have to see if Jack could miss any more school, though. He should find a way to get them all off to the nearby amusements parks come summer though, the whole team. 

All the other pins were unknowns. He dumped the rest of the bag from where they got their Muppet stuff onto the floor in front of him. He decided to take care of the hotel bag first before tackling the pile. While working through them he thought about Roxie and the presentations. He wriggled his phone from his pocket, where he’d stashed it after the calls earlier. He sent Roxie texts apologizing and asking how things had gone. He received a text that asked how Jack was and called him a fool. It was followed by ‘ _what kind of heartless idiot do you think I am, asking if I cared more about our presentation than a child left alone_?’. And that was the crux of the matter wasn’t it. Spencer replied _‘I’ve been subjected to that type of thought so much this week I’d forgotten I was the normal one for being worried. Thanks Roxie. He’s asleep in my lap now, not much worse for wear_.’ Roxie wrote back to just keep Jack close and that he should stop fretting about the presentation. He’d done his fair share even though he’d left. The university had thought so as well and further respected his decision to go to Jack when the situation had been explained it to the representative there. 

The shot glasses, like the vinylmation characters were just for the team. Rossi’s was Mickey, Morgan’s was Goofy, JJ’s daisy and Garcia’s Minnie. Hotch had Pluto. He got two that were just dated Disneyland, and those were for Emily and Alex. He had bought Donald, which he was giving to Will, to match JJ’s. He didn’t drink much and shot glasses were not among the things he collected. Small glass items tended not to go so well with him most of the time. The ink bottles were the exception but he actually didn’t tend to display those. There were snow globes. There were small plastic ones for Jack and Henry. Henry’s had Donald and Daisy and Donald’s nephews. Jack’s was Mickey and Minnie and Pluto. The adults’ were small and glass. He found one that was Tinker Bell and bought the one with green glitter for Jess and the one with multi colored glitter for Garcia. The one of just the castle went to Hotch and Mickey and the whole crew went to Rossi. Minnie went to Emily and Daisy to Alex. The carousel went to JJ and Will got the one showing the Matterhorn. Morgan got the one with just Mickey and Spencer kept the one of Walt and Mickey. He liked snow globes. He tipped the one he was keeping and watched the snow drift back to the bottom. He was glad he’d found these little ones at the hotel, because it kept him from buying the bigger musical ones at the park. About the only restraint he’d shown the whole trip. He wanted to chuckle to himself but was afraid of waking Jack. He split the pens and the pencils between everyone as well, adding an extra pencil to Jack’s pile so he could take it to school. The only thing he made sure of was Rossi didn’t get any ducks, other than that he just opened the packs and went down the line. He tucked the extras into his own pile.

Spencer decided to tackle the pins next. He made sure all the pouches were on the floor and picked up the vinylmation ones first. They were five pins a piece. He’d put one a piece for each lanyard and the rest he’d put to his pin bag. He gave Skull and Mrs. Skull to JJ and Will, Paisley to Alex, and one with silly eyelashes and was pink to Garcia. A shark went to Derek. Spencer noticed most of his bags had been from the second series, which was good because he liked those best, although the one third series pack had some cute things in it as well. He gave Emily the Lucky Seven pin, but kept the rest of that pack for himself. He loved the smiley face, and the black cat and bird and the ladybug. He ended up with both chasers from the second series, and a doubles of peter pan (one went to Jess) and one that looked a bit like a brown bear (the double went to Rossi). The rest Spencer tucked into a pile and shoved the whole pile in his pin bag, to be dealt with later. He was aiming for seven to eight pins a piece, and Rossi had seven. He decided to focus on filling out the others and then deciding. The easiest way was to open pouches. Spencer tried to move Jack again, but once again Jack took hold and wouldn’t budge. He started opening the ‘hidden mickey’ pouches first. He ended up with several t-shirt pins, several soda bottles which surprised him because their date on back was the year before, and a few alphabets. J was Jessica Rabbit and Spencer couldn’t resist giving it to Aunt Jess. A went to Alex, and was Alice in wonderland. Spencer tucked L into his bag, he loved Lucifer the cat and S, which was that lion. A purple Cheshire cat pin went to Garcia. A Chip and Dale t-shirt went to Will, as did a Baby Mickey pin from the baggie from Patrick. Pinocchio’s cat t-shirt went to Emily. Henry and JJ got soda pins, Goofy and Minnie. Finally an Ariel t-shirt and a Flounder t-shirt went to JJ and Henry too. While he was sorting he thought about what Pins he’d put on a lanyard for Strauss, mostly villains but he thought maybe some of the Star Wars pins might work for her as well. Maybe Scooter from the Muppets, or Kermit, for days he was feeling nicer about her and thought she probably felt like the behind the show of the Muppet theater. The thought made him chuckle. He wondered if she would cast him as Gonzo most the time, or Beaker? Spencer pushed the rest of those pins aside and started to open the pin bags for the dollar pins. He managed the framed characters and a few keys for the most part and gave out the framed characters by looking who had what so far. Derek got Mickey, Garcia Minnie, JJ Pluto, Will Goofy, Jess Donald, Emily Stitch, Alex Daisy and Henry Chip and Dale. All the rest of the pins, mostly keys, went into his bag. Spencer smiled. He’d ended up with several extra pins from the pouches other than the vinylmation sets, not a bad haul! He did fish out a Pooh Bear pin from the baggie from Patrick and gave it to Rossi. The old guy Muppets were more a set in his mind.

Spencer looked at the space around him and decided to try to clean up a bit, but then realized he couldn’t get far. Jack was heavy. Spencer looked and was surprised to find almost half past eleven. He’d thought Hotch would be back before that. His laptop was too far away and he couldn’t get to that either. 

He reached behind him, pushing bags out of the way and scooted back until he could lean against the sofa. In the move, Jack’s bag tipped and Spencer started to tuck everything back in. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the lists Jack had been working on when he got here. “My favorite times at Disneyland” “My favorite people in order in which I like them bestest” “Top 10 places to visit next” and “What to do next at Disneyland”. Spencer did make a point not to read further on any of them. He settled back and made mental notes of what to do the next day, and what to do when he got home for the next week or so. He considered getting Henry, Will and Jess vinylmation boxes, thinking about how Hotch would respond to the spreading of that new mini-obsession around. He was almost ready to try and reach his pin bag when he heard the door open.

Hotch came in and he looked ragged. Spencer lifted his finger to his mouth the shush Hotch and Hotch smiled.

“There is probably no need. Once Jack’s asleep he’s pretty much out.” he said. “Why didn’t you put him down?”

Spencer leaned forward and Jack clutched onto his shirt. “That is why. Help put this all away and then we can get him to bed. Where is Beth?”

“Oh, probably drinking her sorrows away. She’ll be up to get a small bag of her things and then back before 7am tomorrow morning to get her stuff and be out of the room. I rented her a place at an inexpensive motel by the airport for the next two nights since she refused to come back and sleep here as long as your poisonous presence was in my presence let alone in the room.”

“Mine? See if there are enough small bags around and put each pile into a bag.” Spencer asked, placing his hands over Jack’s ears as he did so. Hotch smiled when he noticed what Spencer had done. Hotch started gathering discarded bags.

“Yes, apparently, regardless of what I said, it was you who had to have made me…probably by gun point no less… get in touch with our ‘nasty nut girl who can’t keep her nose out of peoples business’ and you had to have made me look into what she has been up to. I would have never noticed anything or thought it wrong on my own, after all. Because I understand how completely wonderful she is and how worshipping her and everything she does is best for me and reflects only well on me. What do you want me to do about these shot glasses and snow globes?”

“There is paper they were wrapped in to begin with for each. I think some had small baggies around them too. And her explanation for what she doing?”

“She was spending only what I ought to have been spending on her anyway. Everything she had charged to the room was only what she was owed for being here with me in the first place and just because I decided not to join her in enjoying what she’d charged doesn’t mean she didn’t deserve it and shouldn’t have been able to enjoy it herself. All items of clothing, of course were only bought as gifts for me anyway, really.” Hotch found the discarded wrapping and had started to wrap things up again, placing them into the proper bags when he was done.

Spencer snorted. “I have never understood that notion. There is tape in my pin bag, tape Jack’s labels to the bags you put stuff in.”

“Good idea and Jack will like that. Maybe because you date men?”

“I don’t exclusively. I’ve dated my fair share of women, not tons maybe, but like seven or eight. Granted, not for long. I never make it past four or five dates with women. I’ve only dated seven or eight men as well, though and I do tend to date them longer, although Patrick was probably my longest relationship. I had a friend who I dated off and on from about nineteen to the time I went to the academy, but it was seriously an off and on thing, and I dated others during the off times. But even with the one guy I dated who tried that line, I just never got it. You bought sexy underwear? Yeah, I might enjoy seeing you in it, but not enough for me to think it is a gift for me. It is obviously a gift for you, you are using it. Of course, that’s not what excites me most anyway.” Spencer said.

Hotch shook his head. “I’m still having a hard time getting my head around you and dating anyone and ever having to have to think about it. So what would turn you on?”

“For women? I think I’m drawn to the princess ideal. A woman in an exquisite ball gown or evening gown, or even cocktail dress…That. Even when I’m not necessarily attracted to them. I hate formal functions and that is one of the reasons. Well that and I look outright ridiculous in formal wear. Hmm…sometimes a sweet little black dress will do it as well, but more classy and not skin tight and barely there. For men? Hmm. That is harder. It is so much less about what is worn. The way muscles ripple on some men, eyes, hair, voices. The lines of a jaw or shoulders or back. Of course all this is for day to day life. Renaissance faires, Comic-con, dragon-cons, or certain types of clubs are a whole different game.”

Hotch looked at Reid completely stunned but nodded. “I’ve been noticing more along those lines for myself as well, now days. What first made me consider taking Beth up on her offer of running together was her lines when she ran. Of course, I don’t think I’d have dated her without Morgan and Rossi pushing me towards it. I just wasn’t thinking like that until they started in on me and she started pushing for seeing me outside training. Where should I put the finished bundle?”

“In the suitcase. What did she have to say about tonight?” Spencer noticed he was stroking over Jack’s hair as he maintain cover over his ears.

“Finally, after avoiding it for over an hour, she said that she did nothing wrong and we are just paranoid and silly, and the hotel is stupid for not providing a child care center in the first place. Oh, and there isn’t a single law enforcement person anywhere in the entire country except for me, you and Garcia who would a) be bothered by her behavior, b) not side with her in the first place because of how much she already had to put towards the brat and how hard it was and c) would take the complaint seriously anyway. That includes Rossi, Morgan and all the other women on our team.”

“Did she say how she figured this to be true?”

“No. She then reverted back to how it was my entire fault anyway, or yours, or Jacks, or Garcia’s. She is highly annoyed that I am daring to make her pay me back, and in fact have informed her that if she doesn’t follow my directions from now until we get home she’ll be paying back her whole half of the trip. Garcia pointed out the technically, due to the fact that we wrote an itinerary and it spells out certain individuals responsibilities on certain days and have names signed on it even though none of us thought about it that way, the whole trip was in effect contractual. She broke her end and thus broke the agreement. Therefore I shouldn’t have to pay her way.”

“What time was she to pick up a bag for tonight?”

“By 12:30.”

“Ah. She has about a half hour then still.”

“I figured that would give us time to get Jack to bed so he didn’t have to see her at all.”

“I’m not sleeping in her room, though. I’ll take the couch still.”

Hotch laughed. He placed all the individual bags, labeled and wrapped nicely, in the suitcase. “Make a label that says Christmas for the big one beside me.”

Hotch got that taken care of and they decided to try to put all of Garcia’s list and all of JJ’s list into one bag for each. Hotch managed to get all of Garcia’s in a big bag, but JJ’s didn’t fit in the sized bags they could find. Hotch fixed that by finding a string and tying it through the handles of several bags, keeping them all together. Spencer had Hotch remove his blanket from the suitcase, and his night clothes. The bag was then zipped up.

“I guess we ought to put Jack into bed.” Spencer said. Hotch laughed and nodded.

“Sometimes it is nice just to have him sleep on you though.” Hotch said. “Sometimes after a bad case I sit like that and sleep on the couch, him in my lap all night long.”

“Except I’m not on the couch.” Spencer said.

Hotch went and lifted Jack off Spencer’s lap. Jack grabbed on but Hotch whispered in his ear.

“Daddy…” Jack said, and settled down again.

Spencer got up and Hotch laughed as he heard all the popping sounds as he stretched and stood. “I told Patrick I’m getting old.” Spencer grumbled. He then gathered his pin bag to him, which jangled with all the loose pins in it.

“How many pins did you end up putting in there?” Hotch asked.

Spencer smiled gleefully. “Lots. It is so wonderful. There will be quite a bit to trade the next time I head to conventions. I should go check my email. I offered my buying ability to a few people I routinely trade with and might have to hunt tomorrow for sets and pins. I also need to put together a trade lanyard. I think I’ll pick up some more of those vinylmation jr packs, I liked those. I’d like to complete my second series, I’m missing like three or four, and I think they’d make good trading options at conventions.”

“You have more money for pins?”

Spencer laughed. “Of course, and if I play it right I can triple it before next Feburary. I probably have almost four hundred on my pin card, but I don’t plan on using it all here. I try to keep about a hundred or so for use when traveling on cases, and this is not my convention card.”

“You have a convention card?”

“I have a pin convention card, and a comic-con and that type convention card, and a card to bring for work conventions or seminars or such. And my holiday card and my travel card and my pin card and my general souvenir card and my credit card so I can rent cars and rooms, and a just plain use credit card and finally my bank cards. Oh and the card I use for online purchases and my ‘for Disneyland’ card and my vacation card and my ‘fun and games’ card. And a school card and a books card.”

Hotch looked at Spencer like he was nuts.

“My banks cards, the credit card I use when doing rentals and my personal credit card are the only ones not some form of pre-paid. I like pre-paid cards. I know how much is on them and how much I have to use. It makes me have to seriously think about things above and beyond that, but allows me to feel like I’m free to spend whatever I want. The man who helped me set it up suspects it is the aftermath of my childhood and part and parcel of still being my mother’s financial care person.”

“How do you not mix them up?”

“Different images on the cards.”

“Did you use all the different ones while here?”

“Nah, left my holiday card in my wallet and didn’t even bring most of them. If I decide I need to, I’ll put more money on the souvenir card over the next months to ‘pay it back’ for what I used on it that was actually for holidays. I wasn’t consistent between my Disneyland card and my souvenir card either, but I figure those two will about even out. I hadn’t used the souvenir card much at all the last few years though, just like five bucks here or there, so it was a hearty amount. And I haven’t been to Disneyland in years so it had gathered a lot of money.”

Hotch shook his head as he carried Jack to bed. Spencer raced ahead and turned down the covers and Hotch laid him down. Spencer removed Jack’s shoes and socks, while Hotch took off his bag and then tucked him in. They left the door open as they went back to the main room.

“So show me this pin bag of yours.” Hotch said.

Spencer smiled and opened the bag up.

“This came with five rather large fold out cloth pieces. I added five more and then added fleece pieces to set between so pins don’t rub against each other at all. This is just my Disney travel one, so all I had pinned in it were pins I had brought for trade. It’s been about four years since I’ve been here to the park. I didn’t make it the last visit with Patrick or two years ago when I worked at the dig for him.”

While the spoke Spencer was pinning loose pins onto the cloth. Spencer was quickly sorting them into like pins….series, or if they didn’t belong to a series, character. Hotch was watching his hands fly.

“Which ones are you trading?”

“Tomorrow, I’d like to do some serious trading and I’ve got a whole extra Disneyland coupon set. I got very lucky back in 2005 and made it to the park quite a few times for trading. I managed three complete sets. I also have three of the five sports pins from that round to trade. I’m looking for 2008 and 2009 pins mostly. Friends here do great at getting them for me, but I still missing most of those years from Disneyland.”

“There are different pins?” Hotch asked.

“Of some of them. Some are the same park to park.”

“What else do you collect that I not know about?” Hotch asked.

Spencer smiled. “Other pins. Olympics, national parks, states, some types of political ones. Comics, Universities.”

“And?”

“I guess maybe you could say I collect Christmas Ornaments. Ink Bottles, fancy ones from long ago or modern. A few other things. You might just have to find out on your own.”

“Any other hidden skills?”

“What do you mean?”

“You can quilt, Spencer.”

Spencer blushed. “Oh, yeah, that same time period and the next fall I learned to can.”

“And sew?”

“No. I learned to sew from my mother when I was little, I also learned to tat and make doilies, spin and weave. She was learning what a good woman of the fifteenth century might know and I went with her to everything and learned beside her. I learned flint knapping and how to hunt with a sling a year after that when she was good friends with this anthropologist who was into cavemen. I sat in on a costume and design class for an entire year one year because the teacher was willing to let me while my mom was teaching a class I’d already sat through many times and that bored me.”

“Anything else?”

“Write with a quill? I’m not sharing all my dark secrets. You already heard about the misadventures of Spencer in sports, but I will point out that those years were war between my parents. My dad was into sports, but for every sports class my mom responded with something else that was a ‘softer’ art. I wasn’t extremely happy with either of them for much of nearly three years, and blocked a great deal out until the Riley Jenkins case was brought up.”

“How did you have time?”

Spencer laughed. “My mother’s excuse was that my father was stupid. He was opposed to my mother’s choice of Montessori type pre-school, so he insisted he got a few years too. When he took his turn enrolling me in his school of choice, he ended up forgetting his school of choice was half day. Heck for the preschool year, it was half day only three days a week. He refused to do the looking for child care for the time not spent in school but demanded the child care follow his guidelines, i.e. be completely normal and age appropriate. So my mother brought me to campus and I had classes in the afternoons for two years during my father’s ‘preschool and kindergarten’ choice and stayed with her two days a week during that ‘preschool’ year.”

“You shudder each time you say preschool and kindergarten.” Hotch laughed. “I thought I was the only one with horror stories like that.”

Spencer laughed. “I bet JJ and Derek are the only ones with normal school tales. Maybe Alex, I have never asked her. Rossi’s aren’t, he has horror stories of nuns and priests and yeah. Prentiss’s was bad; sometimes a local school, sometimes consulate schools, sometimes on NATO bases, sometimes tutors.”

“I was tossed from private schools to public schools at my dad’s and mom’s whims. I probably would have stayed at the boy’s school of my mother’s alma mater, but it closed in second grade. I had to wear black in mourning for half a year, for a stupid school.”

Spencer laughed. “Brighton Academy’s Bright Beginnings was the preschool and kindergarten I attended as per my father’s demands. Private and expensive and the biggest waste of everything in existence.”

Hotch laughed, “You shuddered again as you said it. It must have been bad. You don’t even do that when anyone mentions certain bad cases anymore.”

There was a bang on the door.

“Oh look,” Hotch said. “She’s on time.”

Beth swept in when Hotch opened the door. She glared at Spencer and swept into her bedroom. Spencer and Hotch listened as she packed her bags quickly. She swept out of her room with both her carry-ons and a small suitcase, glared again and went through the front door, slamming it.

Hotch nodded at Spencer. “I suppose we ought to go to sleep. What were you supposed to do with those cases?”

“Return the files to the Pasadena PD main building sometime tomorrow.”

“You done with your pin bag?”

“I will be in a second. I’ll shut the lights down and such in here when I am. Night Hotch.”

“Night Reid.”

Hotch went to his bedroom and Spencer finished putting pins on cloth. He zipped the bag shut and went and got ready to sleep. He didn’t bother to pull out the bed in the couch, but just stretched out on it, stealing the extra pillows from the closet in the main room and wrapping in his new blanket. He turned the TV onto the discovery channel, turned the volume up just enough to hear it but not loud enough for it to travel to the other rooms and turned off the lights. Sleep was surprisingly quick to come.


	15. chapter 15

Spencer felt surprisingly rested when Hotch woke him up. Hotch asked him if he wanted to go back to his room and ready himself for the day and Spencer agreed. He grabbed a slice of cake before he left to hold him till later. He took the large suitcase, which Hotch added all their Disney stuff and other non-clothing items to, as he wasn’t feeling trustful of Beth even after their chat the night before.

Spencer showered and got ready for his day, dressing for the day in the park. He had turned on his computer while showering so it was ready for his password when he got out. He tucked all the cameras back into his big satchel. He briefly considered getting into the suitcase and digging to find an extra lanyard, since he had two in there, but changed his mind. He checked his email and found notes from his pin collecting buddies. He made lists of pins to find, at cost plus shipping and 10% for hunting and buying at a park. He fixed other lists…his own still needed, Garcia’s still needed and JJ’s still needed. He added ‘what Hotch still needs’. He did find Patrick’s baggie of pins and pulled most of those out and put them in his pocket, along with about eight more stitch pins. He checked that he had lists, notebooks, autograph books, maps, all cards and photo passes and such, and all the pins he wanted to trade (from his stash) in a baggie all together and tucked away right and then Spencer headed back to the Hotchners’ room. He stopped and picked up the grumpy lanyard from the hotel gift store. He also stopped and had a small chat with the hotel administration about hotel security. He left that as pleased as one could get. He placed a call on his way to the Hotchners’ room from there. Spencer was all smiles when he got to the room.

Jack was up and waiting at the door when Spencer got there. Hotch gave Spencer a quizzical look when Spencer came in and Spencer knew his self-satisfied smile just got bigger.

“We need lists, Spencer!” Jack said, hopping up and down.

“Reid, I’m going to go get the fax that has the info to pick up Jack’s ticket for today from the front desk. Garcia sent it there and it should be waiting. Make Beth wait for me if she gets here before I get back.”

Spencer nodded as Jack led him to sit on the couch. 

“You’re up early,” Spencer said.

“I woke up when Daddy did. I decided to stay up when he said Beth was coming to get her stuff. Daddy let me eat a slice of cake since he didn’t know how long we’d be here and that finished it off.”

“Yeah, your dad and I had some earlier. What lists do we need?”

“Where we need to go and what we need to do.”

“We do. We also need to build the ultimate family photo list.”

Jack laughed and they pulled out paper to make lists on.

“Want to see my lists I made last night?” Jack asked.

Spencer smiled. “Of course.”

Jack pulled out his papers from the night before and placed them on the table. The first was titled “My favorite times at Disneyland”. Under the title was listed: Spencer got Kissed by Princesses, Buzz and Toy Story rides over and over, Birthday lunch, Fantasmic, and time with dad. “My favorite people in order in which I like them bestest” made Spencer smile. He was on the list in second place. Hotch was of course above him, and Aunt Jess and Auntie Penny were listed on the same line right below him, with Henry listed right under them with Rossi right under Henry. The rest the team followed below that, as well as teachers and school friends.

“Why’s Uncle Dave down on your list so far? “ Spencer asked Jack.

“Because he likes Beth too much and thinks Daddy should keep liking her.” Jack answered.

“I bet he won’t after he hears all about our vacation.” Spencer said.

Jack shrugged. “Then he might be able to tie with Auntie Penny and Aunt Jessie again.”

Spencer looked at the next list; “Top 10 places to visit next”. Disney World was at the top, with Hogwarts and Hawaii next. Then Jack had ‘the deep canyon place’ written down and ‘the place with the water spurts’. Spencer smiled at those as well. Jack’s last list was “What to do next at Disneyland” and contained four items: Buy Team souvenirs, go on Splash Mountain, trade pins –ask Spencer, and get family photos.

“We need to add ‘get Henry some autographs’ and ‘help daddy finish his list’ and ‘buy Aunt Jess something special’.” Jack said.

Spencer smiled. “You make good lists.”

Hotch came back into the room just as Spencer was done reading the lists, and so Jack showed his dad his list as well. Spencer and Jack both laughed when Hotch asked almost the same questions that Spencer had.

“You’re in time to help us build the ultimate family photo list,” Spencer said.

“In front of the castle,” was Hotch’s automatic response.

“In front of the pumpkin Mickey, in front of the Mickey and Walt statue.” Spencer said as he wrote.

“On the cars!” Jack said bouncing.

“Cars?” Hotch asked.

“The one by the Toad ride and the one in Toontown.”

Spencer wrote them on the list.

“By the sword and we could try one with the Matterhorn in the background.” Spencer said.

“At the entrance.” Hotch added. “In that area between the parks.”

A knock on the door interrupted them.

“We’ll add more later.” Spencer said. “Jack, let’s go get your bag ready and find you some trading stuff.”

Hotch let Beth into the room while Spencer took Jack to the bedroom. They made sure Jack’s bag was all together and Spencer fished Jack’s ticket out of his lanyard and put it into Spencer’s satchel. “You’ll get a new one for today.” Spencer said. They put Jack’s socks and shoes on and then Spencer started unloading his pockets.

He took the Grumpy Lanyard and put all the pins from his stash on the right side and about half the stitch pins from his pocket and half the pins from Patrick that he’d stuffed in his pocket on the left side.

He took the rest the pins from his pocket and put them on Jack’s lanyard, leaving about three inches of space between his ones that they bought and his ones for trade. Jack looked at the lanyard. “Can we move the one of Stitch on the Surfboard down? I like it a lot and want to keep it for sure.”

Spencer smiled. “That is a good way to do it.” 

“We’ll have to help daddy fill his today.” Jack said.

“I know. We have to spend time in the pin stores anyway. I’ve got lists from other friends who need help collecting. Who doesn’t you daddy like?””

Jack smiled. “We should write it down. He isn’t that fond of Donald Duck and he doesn’t like Wall-E at all.”

Spencer looked on his lanyard and the pins he’d given Jack and found about four to put on Hotch’s, for trading purposes. “We’ll see if we can find a starter set too, somewhere.”

Finished where they were, they moved back into the main room to watch TV. They could hear people in the other room still.

“Why are you so smiley today, Spencer?” Jack asked as they found something to watch on TV.

“I talked to another old friend this morning.” Spencer said.

“From here? Do we get to meet them?” Jack asked.

“No, this one actually lives in Vegas, but he is a solution to worries and potential problems today.”

“For just you?” Jack asked.

“Nope. For your daddy and you as well.”

“Does Daddy know?” Jack asked.

“Not yet.”

Jack smiled.

Beth slammed out of the room dragging two large suitcases behind her. She glared at Spencer and Jack and slammed the main door to the hotel room as well.

Hotch came out of her bedroom sighing.

“Good Morning?” Spencer asked.

“She came in and asked if I was ready to go shopping with her, as if the whole of yesterday hadn’t happened.”

“Really?”

“Told me she was willing to start hearing my apologies now and I could further them by taking her to this lovely outlet store and picking out china patterns. That it was ok if I didn’t want to beg for her to take me back on my knees, buying her a nice dress for the next formal outing the FBI hosts would be fine and then gave me a list of designers I could choose from. Oh, and the dress had to be at least a thousand to make up for the anguish and torment that is this vacation.”

Spencer and Jack just looked at Hotch with stunned faces so Hotch continued.

“I told her to pack and leave and maybe we’d discuss things after we were back home, but I wasn’t letting her ruin the rest of my vacation. She hissed that I’d be sorry and well, you saw the exit. Oh, and she is furious her internet posts were removed and that that horrid girl was allowed to do that, she should be able to sell whatever she wants from this room because it’s hers as well, and yes that included anything my brat owns, because it is hers by being in her room. That was her one point where she directly acknowledged yesterday.”

“I have the solution to that. I went in to inform the hotel that I wanted no one to access my room except me and noticed who owns the security company that runs the hotel security here. Made a call back to Vegas and the short of it is that we can move all your stuff to my room and I’ll call my friend after we leave. He’ll flag my hotel room and any attempt to open it will alert him, and us, and be cause for security to be brought in.”

Hotch just smiled and left to the bedroom he and Jack shared. In five minutes he was back with the suitcases and his briefcase and a backpack. He looked to see Jack with his bag and gear.

“Let’s go, although someday I want the long story to go with this friend.”

A trip to Spencer’s room, a call, and breakfast later, the three were headed to the park. Jack’s ticket for the day was procured and everyone was ready.

Spencer had his camera out starting on his list of family photos. Hotch retaliated by making Spencer get pictures taken in each of the same areas, and sometimes with Jack in them. Jack responded by making his dad and Spencer stand together for the same photos. The park was busier and they decided to get a fast pass for Splash Mountain. It was the only ride they had down as a must, although they had added the California Soaring one as one they would like to go on again. They decided to do photos and wander while they waited for Splash Mountain and then do shopping. After getting the essential photos done, and still having a bit of time to wait, Jack suggested a trip over to Tom Sawyers Island so his dad could ride on the rafts. They walked the island, but Jack didn’t want to play much. It was boring without other kids to run with, he said.

“Once when I was at Caltech I came with a bunch of other students, at Ian’s insistence and we played a form of capture the flag out here.” Spencer said as he and Hotch walked and watched Jack running and jumping about when he found a small family with kids who asked him to play with them. “I tried to avoid activities like that, and often people would let me, but sometimes someone would insist I join in. That one was fun. You can only get so lost at Disneyland. The next year people made me do it as well, but we all went up in the mountains somewhere. That was bad. Ian had left and I had no one in the student body looking out for me real closely that year. You can get much more lost there.”

Hotch snickered. Jack chose that moment to run and declare it was time to go stand in line for Splash Mountain, which it was. They spent their time in line thinking about what they needed to buy and where to find it and with Jack trying to get his dad to pin down what moments he wanted to remember most for his pin choices.

“Well,” Hotch said. “I want one for each day, like you and Spencer have. I want to remember when we had the best times.”

“Did you have best times on Monday?” Jack asked.

“Of course I did,” Hotch said. “Anytime I’m with you is a best time.” 

Jack beamed and told his daddy about the times he liked best with his dad on Monday. “But I also had lots of best time with Spencer, because he’s good at making me not feel bad when I got told no all the time.”

“I just glad you did have some best times with me, too.” Hotch said. Spencer could tell that bit of info made Hotch feel much better.

“Do you want ride pins or pins that would just speak to you, more or less?” Spencer asked.

“I think more the second. I think this will be just something I’ll know when I see.” Hotch said.

Jack was bouncy and cheerful and very chatty and Hotch and Spencer couldn’t help smiling because of it. Spencer decided that the ride was worth the wait, too, even though he did come off it a bit damp, and Hotch had laughed at him when he’d zipped his satchel into its water-proof pouch. 

After the ride, Jack and Spencer found a place to sit and pulled out their lists. Spencer wrote time and date for Splash Mountain, and noted which rides in both parks were closed. He and Jack went through all the maps again.

“You still have Mr. Lincoln and the Cinema and the gallery and all the vehicles on Main Street to do.” Jack pointed out.

“We saw the shooting thing on Monday,” Hotch reminded them. 

“And we did see the Tiki Room.” Spencer said, marking that as well. “And we all agreed to miss Captain EO.”

“Thank God. I am every so glad you used the ‘might be frightening for children’ warning to talk Beth out of that, Spencer.” Hotch said.

“What have we got in the other park?” Jack asked.

“Disney, Jr…” Spencer started.

“Nah, I heard kids talking and it sounded more for little kids.” Jack interrupted.

“The games on the boardwalk, the blue sky cellar which is the Imagineering place, the bakery tour and some wine places.”

“We can skip the games and I’m not taking Jack wine tasting.” Hotch said.

“We could hit the other two though, they sound fun.” Jack said.

“Great! Why don’t we head off and start shopping?”

“And catch vehicles down to the big store?”

“And then cross the street and hit Mr. Lincoln and the gallery.”

“Let’s hit the Jungle store on the way and see if we can find JJ her jungle vest for Will.” Hotch said.

They walked hit the Jungle store and found a vest for Will, and also bought Will, JJ, and Henry safari hats, from Hotch. Jack showed his daddy where he’d found the stuffed animals for Henry and Spencer found two pins sets from his list, and a few pins for himself that were jungle themed.

They caught the Horse drawn streetcar down Main Street from the Castle. Spencer took his list of pins and started searching and Hotch helped Jack start picking out coffee mugs. Spencer reminded him which mugs he’d bought for Garcia’s set and himself, which still left a whole lot of options. Spencer found pins and sets and marked them off his for others list and bought himself more of the vinylamtion jr. pins pouches (another five more), and some of the larger two packs, but not too many of those. He found three two pin sets he bought for Hotch, so he could have something to trade that were on sale. One had two of the Wall-E characters, one had UP characters and the other had Donald and Daisy. He found items for Garcia’s dwarves and villains list aspects, and went to help Hotch find some stuffed critters...Mickey for Garcia and Minnie for Emily. They bought a few pins for Hotch’s list, an old time Mickey and Minnie to remember Thursday and Green Aliens and Buzz Lightyear for Monday. Spencer made Hotch get a year pin and a seasonal pin as well. They bought their items, Spencer making sure everyone got their hidden Mickey pouches and dollar pins, and then they crossed over, finding Pluto, Mickey, Minnie and Goofy in front of the big Mickey Pumpkin.

“Spencer! Get Henry’s book out!” Jack yelled as he saw the Characters. Spencer smiled and pulled out Henry’s book and ended up with his out as well. He looked through and couldn’t find a Pluto signature. 

“Jack, get your book and we’ll see if we can get them all signed. I don’t think we have Pluto’s signature.” He said.

“And if we do, having more than one can’t hurt.” Jack answered. “Daddy, that means you, too!”

Hotch did not dare disobey. They all grabbed their autograph books. Pictures were taken all around, including just ones of the characters to give to Henry. Spencer hugged Pluto so Jack could get pictures. They also managed to walk across the street to head to the Gallery and walk right into the Mad Hatter and Alice. Autographs and photos were once again added to those already in books and Henry’s little book was filling out nicely. Hotch got the best surprise though, when Alice and the Mad Hatter kissed Spencer’s cheeks when he handed over the album for Garcia. Alice giggled and told them that the pictures of the Princesses kissing Spencer’s cheeks were being passed around by the cast members like a wildfire and all those who’d missed it were jealous. It was the Mad Hatter who added that even the male cast members were jealous. The Disney Photographer who caught Alice and the Hatter at it handed another photopass card to Hotch, so he could get prints. Spencer’s cheeks were so red that Jack insisted the take a break and that Spencer drink some of his water bottle before going in anyplace else. 

They went and watched Mr. Lincoln first. Spencer spoke to Jack before the show, but was quiet during the show. Then they talked more about the president and the civil war and how he was killed after the show.

“I was right!” Jack said after the show was done and they were exiting.

“About?” Hotch asked.

Jack blushed and whispered his answer. “I thought Mr. Lincoln would be much more interesting with Spencer than it was with Beth.”

Hotch chuckled.

They headed to the Gallery, which had a store. They enjoyed looking through, although Spencer didn’t talk too loudly or too much while they were in the Gallery part. 

“Spencer, why didn’t you tell me all about stuff in there?” Jack asked.

“Most people were quiet and in art galleries you sort of take you cues from those around you. Sometimes you talk about the art and what it means and why and whatnot. Other times you just look quietly and doing your talking outside.”

“And so many of our team think you can’t follow social cues.” Hotch said.

Spencer blushed and laughed. “I’m not sure I can outside of taught areas. My mom taught me how to follow social cues at museums and galleries, the theater and ballet, and musical performances and various types of lecture and seminars. The rest? Not so much.”

The gallery store was wonderful.

“Jack, here is what you should get Aunt Jessica.” Spencer said. 

Hotch agreed and they found a nice print that wasn’t too big and too expensive. They also sold smaller pieces and Hotch decided to get one of those for Rossi instead of a stuffed critter and for Jack’s grandparents. Spencer bought a few small pieces as well without giving Hotch any idea who they were for. Finally both Jack and Spencer added sets of art postcards, which Jack decided he wanted to give to people like his teachers, along with some magnets they hadn’t bought yet. After leaving, they took the Omnibus up to the Castle, back tracking a little bit to go see Captain Hook and the Queen of Hearts, Cruella de Vil, and Jafar who were set up at the top of the street. By the time they made it to the Green Men and Star Wars shops, Henry’s book wasn’t as sad looking as Jack had worried it would be.

At the Star Traders store Hotch added Jedi Mickey for his Tuesday pin, in honor of Reid saving the day, he explained. They bought Jack his Ewok, Spencer a stuffed Yoda, and Spencer found some of the other pins on his list for others. Spencer also found the jacket he wanted and Hotch bought it for him, much to Spencer’s dismay. Hotch and Jack hung back a bit as Spencer went to the Green Men store and bought Spencer some socks and Jack bought him a Ewok to match his and finally found his teacher some magnets. They hit the Green Men store and Jack bought his Perry the Platypus and more socks for himself and Spencer and Spencer worked on his list a little more, adding his own extras along the way and making sure to add in pouches and dollar pins.

“I think I’ll need to hit the Pooh Bear store and the store by the princesses.” Spencer said with a sigh. Jack and Hotch didn’t mind, they really hadn’t been in the park very long. 

“Why did you sigh?” Jack asked.

“Because we were already by the Pooh Bear store and I should have thought about it then.” Spencer said.

Jack laughed. “Daddy does that too. He likes to do it when we go to the mall. Aunt Jess is worse though, but sometimes I think she does it on purpose. She always tells me it’s good exercise. Sometimes, she makes us power walk it.”

Hotch laughed. “I think you need to spend more Saturdays outside your Aunt’s company.”

The walk to the Princesses garnered them more autographs, Tweedledee and Tweedledum and the White Rabbit were running about. Spencer found some of the remaining pins on his list at the store by the princesses, and found Garcia’s wand. He found some pretty little figurines of the princesses and bought some for Jessica. Hotch found one of Cinderella’s mice which he liked for Miss Blake and Jack found a coffee cup he decided Auntie Penny needed as well, they could keep the other one they bought for her if they didn’t give her both. They stayed at the princess shop the least length of time they could manage. It was way crowded and Jack and Hotch both declared there to be too much lace.

After they left the princess shop they found Peter Pan and Wendy on the way to the Pooh Bear ride, which Jack insisted must be done again. Peter Pan and Wendy were fun to do photos with, the area they ran across them wasn’t very crowded and so they got to spend a few moments chatting.

Spencer tried to talk Jack out of the Pooh Bear ride. It was the only ride to make his head spin, although the little Alice in Wonderland one came very close. He suspected the short time outside on it made him able to cope with the colors inside the dark part. Jack won and the Pooh Bear ride made Spencer dizzy, again. That made Hotch laugh. After laughing at Spencer, he got a concerned look on his face.

“Is that going to cause a headache?” Hotch asked.

Spencer shrugged. “It didn’t last time. I suspect it would if it were too much longer or if we did it repeatedly. I’m good for now though. I just don’t suggest spinning in circles any time soon.”

Hotch found his pin for Hotch and Hotch Jr day, a pin of Roo. Spencer found almost half the remaining pins on his list, and then added several of his own from the Pooh Bear store. It was also there that Hotch got Derek’s stuffed critter, Tigger and a stuffed Critters for Strauss and Aunt Jess- Eeyore and Rabbit. He also got an Owl stuffed critter, and one of Kanga and Roo. Finally he picked up his gift to Aunt Jess, a honey jar. He bought Spencer and Jack socks.

“Now I think all I need is something special for Garcia and a pin to represent yesterday.” Hotch said after buying his stuff.

Spencer had been flipping through pins. Then he looked down to his lanyard. “Do you have to have it bought today?”

“No.”

Spencer pulled off a Stitch pin with Stitch holding a cake. “Here, it’s not exactly Happy Birthday, but it would be a good representation of you giving Jack a good Birthday.”

Hotch smiled.

“I should give you some more for trading, because from the time we leave here to getting to the entrance, we are finding anyone open to trade and having fun.” Spencer said.

The girl running the cash register heard Spencer. “You should start here. I’ve one and the girl outside at the start of the Pooh bear line has a lanyard and we are ready to trade.”

“Do we have to stand in line to see Pooh Bear to see her?” Spencer asked.

“No. Ralph is down at that part of the line. I don’t know if he has his on. Jennie is at the very start, she’s telling people how long the line is. Do you want your dollar pin?”

“Yes please. Do you have time to trade now?” Spencer asked.

There was one lady behind him and no one else seemed to be lining up.

“I do if you are willing to wait for me to take care of the next customer.”

“Great, I’ll round up my traders in training.”

Spencer paid and while the lady behind him paid, he found Jack and Hotch, handing Hotch the pins from his pocket and fishing out the pins from their stop at the Emporium. 

“You have ten now. If any of those are ones you want to keep, you can move them down near the bottom of your lanyard. Also, you could look at what Jack has to trade and see if he has any you’d like.” Spencer said.

Hotch sniffed at the ones on his lanyard. “Jack, let me see yours.”

Hotch ended up trading three of his, leaving him seven pins to trade with and Hotch another Stitch pin and two of the pins from Patrick’s offerings, both different Mickeys. Jack still had 11 pins to trade with.

Spencer used the pins off the lanyard his was wearing to show Hotch and Jack how to do it. Jack especially had fun picking which pin he wanted to trade for.

“There is one of the kids only guys down in front of the Haunted Mansion.” The girl said before Spencer left.

“Do you know any who are up for serious trading? I’ve cast lanyard pins from 2005ish up for trade and looking for 2008 and 2009 pins.”

“Really? Can you wait a sec and I’ll do a bit of asking?”

Spencer told Hotch to take Jack to find Jennie, at the very start of the Pooh Bear line and trade some more. The girl waved him over after talking on a phone a few seconds later.

“On Main Street is Andy. He’ll be there until like three. He’s wearing a whole mess of My First Disney trip badges and his job is just sort of directing traffic today. Tell him you’re the guy Josie sent his way. He’ll send you to someone else on main street as well.”

“Great!”

“Also, if you aren’t familiar with the pins from those years, ask them to do the pick for you.”

Spencer smiled. “I looked at the check lists and remember them.”

“I hope you have fun.”

Spencer waved.

Jack was just finishing his trade with Jennie when Spencer met up with them. He pulled out the grumpy lanyard to find the pins to trade with her.

“Do you know what you have there?” She asked.

“I do. Josie gave me a place to start on Main Street, I’m looking for 2008 and 2009 hidden mickey pins.”

“I have one, willing to trade one of those sports ones for it?”

Spencer smiled and handed over the sports pin. He put the pin he got, Grumpy jack-in-the box, on his tinker bell lanyard. 

“Do you have any of the pin-trader pins?” Spencer asked.

“I don’t but I know where one is, can you wait two seconds?” 

Spencer nodded and Jennie ran off to the front of the line. She was back before Spencer thought she would be. “It’s just one from this year, not too big a deal, so save your older pins.”

“Stitch work? I’ve still got stitch pins to spare.”

Jennie nodded and their trade was done. 

“Don’t forget to look for the youth only trader by the mansion.” She yelled as Spencer and the Hotchners headed off.

Spencer pinned the pin-trader pin onto his pixie lanyard, on the left side above his Peter Pan and Wizard Mickey pins. Jack tilted his head.

“It’s my first of today’s pins. Today we traded pins and I am teaching you and your dad.”

Jack smiled.

In front of the Haunted mansion they found the guy who had the kids only lanyard, and Jack traded for pirate mickey and one of the hidden pins. He ended up with a funny little round headed chimney sweep. That guy sent them to see a few people in New Orleans square. Spencer took a moment to move all his pins for trade to the grumpy lanyard and put all the pins he wanted kept on the pixie one. Two of the cast in New Orleans square who were trading had pins Spencer was looking for, but he hadn’t yet broke his ticket set.

Hotch had reached the point where he was happy with what he had and wasn’t into trading anymore. Spencer noticed Hotch’s lanyard now held Mickey pins, with two Pluto and one of Mickey and Minnie. Jack had four pins left he wanted to trade if he could find things he liked. They headed to Main Street. Jack made them catch the fire engine and ride to the bottom end of Main Street. Then they started walking their way back up. Andy was by the Mickey Pumpkin, or at least a guy Spencer figured must be Andy.

“Are you Andy? Josie from the Pooh Bear store sent me this way.”

Andy smile. “She described you well. Serious trading?”

Spencer pulled out his grumpy lanyard and showed the ticket set to Andy. Andy smiled.

“Let me get a few friends down this way. Or maybe… hmm that would work. Willing to work as a group?”

“I am. But Jack wants to do his own trading still. We’d probably still need one friend.”

“It’d be ok, Spencer. I could trade with one of his other friends.”

Spencer gave Jack two of the tickets, and Hotch two. 

“Any particular ones of those years you are looking for?” Andy asked.

“I’d like the Peter Pan chess pieces, however I’ve also managed to score a tea cup and two carousel horses and a black and white eeyore, and grumpy jack-in-the-box so more towards those would be nice. I can use pretty much any of those years though, I never made it to the park and none of my friends had time to spend a lot of it trading for me those years.”

“I’ve got the whole chess set, anything else you could trade for the sixth one?”

“I’ve three of the sports pins from that same time frame, and then Aurora fan, pooh asleep on a cloud, Donald duck hat box, and super Minnie. Jungle hunter Pluto and three fish in baggies and four surf boards.”

“Nice, the ticket set and the Minnie?”

“Done.”

They each handed over the pins and Spencer pinned all the chess pieces to his pixie lanyard.

“For more trading for this time frame, go see the guy standing in front of the ice cream parlor. By him is also a girl who trades with just kids. Have fun.”

They worked their way to the guy in front of the ice cream parlor. Jack traded with the girl, setting himself down to two pins he wanted to trade with. Hotch, Jack and Spencer did the whole Spencer trading between them. This guy had the Alice Chess pieces and Spencer handed him the sports pins and hat box pin, and then two of his stitch pins. Spencer wasn’t sure it was fair, but like the guy said, Spencer’s pins were a bit older. He sent them a bit further down to see yet a girl with red hair. She had some more of the Jack-in-the box dwarves, and Spencer came out with four more of those, and Jack found a Nemo pin he liked on her lanyard and then traded for a hidden mickey again, this time pulling the H horse. She sent them to someone up by the partner statue, and that girl had Mickey and Minnie as Tiki statues. She called a friend over who had the last dwarves Spencer needed and some tea cups. Six pins later and Spencer was smiling. He had all the dwarves, two of the full chess sets, and four of the teacups.

“Candy at the photo place has some of the carousel horses.” The second girl said. “She runs the cash register though, so you might have to wait.”

Jack, who was still having fun with the running from one person to the next, started pulling Spencer and his dad that way.

“After this, though, we are only going to ones heading towards going out of the park. We wanted to hit a few more places at the other park and still have time to visit the beach, remember?” Hotch said.

Both Spencer and Jack agreed. Just before they entered the photo store, Spencer’s phone rang.

“Spencer Reid, speaking.”

“Spence baby, guess what. Your room alarm just went off. No one can get in, but do you want sercurity sent that way?”

“Of course, Peter. Give me a call when you figure out what’s going on.”

“Oh course little one. Laters.”

Spencer hung up the phone and shook his head.

“What was that about?”

“The alarm set on my room door was triggered. Peter sent the hotel security to see why.”

“Surely she wouldn’t?” Hotch said.

“If it’s her she isn’t going to be happy.” Spencer said.

“Let’s go talk to this Candy girl and get your pins traded.” Hotch said.

Candy had five carousel horses and she insisted they not just use older pins but a mix. Spencer made sure she had four of the older pins, though. They did the five horses and then a hidden mickey choice and ended up with a snowflake. She sent them down towards the Cinema, to look for a man with a red bowtie.

His name ended up being Porter and he had the last two teacups Spencer needed and some sepia tones snapshots of Disney character in foreign places. Spencer ended up with his teacups and Minnie in front of the leaning tower of Pisa, Pluto in front of the sphinx, and Mickey on Easter Island and a Goofy soda bottle, which had been the hidden mickey.

They decided to go to the cinema and watch the cartoons they were showing. It was a great way to mostly end their time at the Disneyland park. They headed to the exit after that. Laughing and smiling and waiting for a call on Spencer’s phone.

The call came just as they exited the park.

“So, Spence baby, some lady insists you have all her stuff, stolen from her in a heinous fashion in order to steal her lover and corrupt him and his poor darling child.”

“I stole her stuff to steal her man?”

“Yeah, it isn’t making sense to my personnel either.”

“Let me guess, Beth?”

“Yes, that is the name she gave the security folks. Mind you, she also can’t give specifics. We get ‘oh, some toys and pins and stuff like that’ as an answer. Anything you’d like me to do?”

“Hang on a second Peter,” Spencer said. He looked at Hotch. “What would you like to do?”

“Whatever he wants to do. We can prove nothing is stolen though.”

Spencer turned back to the phone. “Do whatever you’d like with her. However, we can prove everything in there is ours, so please remind her of that.”

“All right Spencer. If you’d give us a call when you are ready to enter your rooms again, I’ll remove the alarm then. Ta Ta tiny tot.”

“Peter! See you at Christmas.”

Hotch snorted.

“Did he call you tiny tot?” Hotch asked.

“Yes, yes he did.”

They headed to the California Park and picked up a fast pass for California Soaring right at start. Then they headed to the Blue sky Cellar. Spencer and Jack loved it. Jack asked questions and Spencer read to him the notes and then explained how some of the ideas might work mechanically. Hotch watched them, fascinated. They spent the whole time till their fast passes were ready to be used talking and exploring in the Blue Sky Cellar. Sometimes, Spencer even had the Disney Cast Members listening intently. Hotch understood why Jack liked his day with Spencer so much.

Soaring over California was more enjoyable without Beth and having gone to the Blue Sky cellar and learned about some of the techniques used in the ride. Spencer and Jack spent the time in line chatting about things they might encounter, like the use of the big screen. They talked about other places Jack might like to go where screens like that were used, and Hotch agreed to let Spencer take Jack to a planetarium sometime soon.

After Soaring over California, they went on the Bakery tour, and Spencer and Hotch talked about different techniques they’d seen used. Jack held both their hands and just beamed up at them the whole time, paying close attention.

“You know what Daddy?” Jack said as they finished the Bakery tour.

“What Jack?” Hotch said.

“You and Spencer and me, we need to go more places together.” Jack said.

“Why?” Spencer asked, although he personally thought Jack had the right idea.

“Because, when we are all together we have the bestest time and I get to learn new things and no body ignores me but they also talk to each other so I don’t feel like I’m making them ignore each other either.”

Spencer smiled and Hotch had a slight frown. “What do you mean?”

Jack tilted his head and Spencer could see he was thinking of how to explain. “On Monday, when you and Beth talked, if I asked you something, she got upset, or if you talked to me too much she got upset. And she didn’t like you noticing me and when I wanted to talk about something. With Spencer, you and he talk, but both of you pay attention to me and notice if I want to talk too. If I need something and get your attention, Spencer just smiles or if you’re talking to me for a while…Spencer smiles. I like smiles. You smiled when Spencer and me were talking. Would you have smiled if Beth and me had talked together for a while? Talked talked, not yelling mean talk.”

Neither Spencer nor Hotch could answer.

After the tour, they found stores that sold pins in the California Adventure Park, and Spencer set to looking to fulfill his last items on the list for others. They stopped a few times as Spencer met with cast members wearing lanyards for trading, but Spencer was just trading the newer stuff and stitch pins, mostly for the hidden mickey options. He was lucky with them as well, getting more of the ones from this year to build into what he’d had left from putting together the team’s lanyards. They found the final items on Spencer’s list at the stores that sold the Muppets stuff and the other store down that way (including more vinylmation boxes, Spencer picked from each of the different options and three or four from a few series figuring he’d have enough to give one to those he’d not bought them for before and a stuffed Kermit and stuffed Fozzie which Spencer didn’t explain other than to say they weren’t for him and a Miss Piggy T-shirt for Garcia). Hotch and Jack finished shopping as well, Hotch finally finding his Special gift for Garcia in a Pigs in Space figurine set. It was a bit after one.

“Jack, pick a final ride.” Hotch said. “Then we’ll drop off the cases at the Pasadena PD and go to the beach for a while.”

“Can’t we come back tonight?” Jack said. “We need to see the fireworks.”

Hotch looked at Spencer and gave in. “Ok. We’ll go back to Disneyland tonight for fireworks.”

“No, here too, to see the stuff in the back lot area at night.”

“Fine, pick a last ride for now.” Hotch said. Jack chose the Mickey Wheel.

After the Mickey Wheel they headed back to the hotel. Spencer called when they entered the lobby and they were met with security personnel there.

“Our boss’s boss said to escort you to your room, Mr. Reid. He wants you to double check that we are correct and the attempt was not successful.”

Spencer nodded and Jack and Hotch came with him to the room. Spencer slid his card and the door opened. Everything was sitting just as they had left it. Spencer quickly wrote the notes the cases needed while Hotch went and rented a car. Jack stayed with Spencer, putting all their new bags away where Spencer directed him. Spencer was ready before Hotch was back. He’d removed all his new pins and pinned them into his pin bag, and taken out all the traders he’d brought with him that were left in the bag and pinned them onto the grumpy lanyard. He and Jack also managed to change into swimwear, which they wore under their clothing and shoes for the beach. They made Hotch change as soon as he entered and then they headed out. Spencer called his friend as soon as he’d locked the door.

As they buckled Jack into the car, Hotch pointed out that they needed lunch.

“Do you want something that we can eat as a picnic? I know a place not far from the police station, although closer to CalTech. It serves sandwiches, but the best sandwiches.”

Hotch and Jack agreed and they decided to think about a picnic or not depending on how long it took them to get to the police station. The traffic was busy but free moving and they were pulling into the parking lot right around two thirty. Spencer ran the cases into the station, and came back out with lip stick stains on his cheek.

“They didn’t warn me that Officer Reynolds is an older lady who mostly deals with cold cases and would be so grateful for the potential solution to two. By the way, she asked if we take cold case files like that if they send them to us and they are like serial or really weird. She has six she’d like us to look at and give them any new ideas at all, but she pointed out that they are old cases so no hurry. I said we do do things like that on our down time and to go ahead and send them our way.”

Jack laughed.

Hotch simply said “I hope someone got photos.”

Spencer blushed and scrubbed his cheek clean with wet wipes he’d produced from his satchel.

Spencer led them to where James’s Sandwich shop used to be, now under Calisto and Calliope’s capable hands.

Hotch was not prepared for the squealing he heard when they stepped into the shop.

“Calisto, please. One would think I never see you!” Spencer said, laughing.

Spencer had no sooner said that than two young ladies were throwing their arms around him and showering him with kisses and hugs. Jack laughed and Hotch just stood by with a very amused look on his face. While they were involved in their hugging and kissing, Jack pulled his dad down to whisper. “Look, Dad. Spencer’s girl friends kiss him too! Not just his boy friends.”

Hotch was red in the cheeks with suppressed laughter when Spencer pulled away from the hugs and kisses.


	16. chapter 16

“Calisto and Calliope, this is my boss and his son and we need food to take to the beach.” Spencer said.

The taller of the two, with dark hair that had it been straight might have been shoulder length, but because it was mostly a mass of pretty tight ringlet curls just reached her ears, looked at Hotch.

“Would you like to look at the menu or leave it up to us?”

Hotch smiled and took a deep breath. The only thing he could say was that every smell was simply divine. “I’ll leave it to you; just, we aren’t big pork fans.”

She smiled and nodded. “Surf or turf?”

“I think I’d prefer turf, and nothing too spicy for Jack.”

She bounced off with a wave and the blond who was still hugging Spencer called out that she would be back to help in just a few moments. Calisto led them to an empty table off by the side of the room. Most of the other tables were full and there were several waiters working the room. Spencer saw several others in the back cooking as well. Reuben had been right; Calisto and Calliope were doing quite well.

“You have been here a week, Spencer, and this is the first I’ve seen of you. Shame.”

“Calisto, I was busy. And I didn’t think you’d be here. Usually at this time you are up north.”

“I haven’t gone up north at this time of year for three years. You just need to visit more often and you’d know that.”

“Calliope’s family move then?”

Calisto rolled her eyes. “Calliope’s family is now living on some small island in the Caribbean, pretty much on nothing but what they grow and fish. And I always thought the older kids grew up wild…her mom’s being having a new batch and they are like little animals.”

“You tamed Calliope.”

“True, and that is what matters, I guess.”

“Until one comes to live with you.”

“Don’t even say it.”

Spencer laughed. “Remember when Asteroid and Chaos were sent to live with you.”

“And we put them in school? I never thought we’d survive that, of course I never thought as a 20 year old that I’d be playing mommy to my girlfriends little brothers, neither who’d ever set foot in a school before in their life even at ages nine and ten. Asteroid changed his name to Ashton legally and now is going to school to become a lawyer, specializing in corporate law. And Chaos? He’s going into medicine.”

Spencer laughed. “Calliope’s parents must have nearly died.”

“It gets worse. Remember Dusk?”

“The one just younger than Calliope?”

“He changed his name to Brandon. He works for the CIA. Their mom practically had kittens. In fact it wasn’t long after that they moved out to their island and started having babies again. And Pineapple? She became Sara, married an evangelical Christian and came unto God and is a very right winged republican. Calliope’s dad did hyperventilate when he heard that.”

Spencer started to laugh.

Hotch smiled.

“The CIA is kinda like your jobs. Why would his mom not be happy?” Jack asked.

“Have you ever heard anything about Hippies, Jack?” Spencer asked.

“The peace and love people, and they liked flowers?” Jack asked.

Spencer nodded. “And you know how there are people of all sorts in every group of people out there, right? Most people of a group, whatever way you are grouping people, will be in the middle- kind of average for the group, but every group has those who are at an extreme.”

Jack nodded. “Like you have a class of kids and you have most that get good grades, and one or two that get really good grades and are way smarter than the rest and then one or two that get very bad grades and aren’t as smart as the rest.”

Hotch and Spencer beamed. “Exactly, most populations will form a bell curve for whatever aspect you are studying. Well, Calliope’s parents were extreme even for Hippies -Absolute distrust for the government and normal society, into anarchical utopia concepts. They were a back to nature type people, but absolutely not harming any creature, except they did fish and raised chickens. For them, one of their raised-completely-free-of- government- influences children turning to work for the government in that type of capacity must be about the worst thing.”

Calliope came out and sat next to Calisto as Spencer was talking. “Talking about my nuts, huh?”

“Are you the only one who kept her name?” Spencer asked.

“No, Summer has kept hers, as did Rainbow, Wisdom, Jasper and Fern.”

“How many children were in your family?” Hotch asked.

“My mom took off to join a Hippie commune when she was about fourteen, left a very strict and regimental family to live free. I met my grandparents and aunts and uncles. Uncle Joe was willing to tell me about what my mom had left. They wore uniforms at home, not just to school. Everything was done by bells and the clock and there was no talking outside of prescribed times. I understood why she ran away. Summer was born about nine months later. From Summer down to Asteroid there were ten of us. After Asteroid there weren’t any for a while. Then my parents started in on this new set, so far six in six years. Asteroid was 9 years to the day younger than me, but Chaos was only ten months older than him. I’m number six.”

“And your mother didn’t go insane?” Hotch asked.

Calliope laughed. “We lived on a farm with a bunch of other like-minded individuals. Kids were cared for by everyone and anyone, nursed by whoever was nearby to feed a crying baby or hungry child. Half the time everyone ran naked. You slept where ever you wanted, ate all together, did what you wanted to do. What it ultimately meant though was that she had very little responsibility on her for any one child, just as much as she wanted to have. Kids played and helped and learned at everyone’s side and not just a single parent’s.”

“What were the downsides?” Hotch asked.

“How do you figure there are downsides?” Calliope asked.

“You’re here and not still there.”

“I think the first one I noticed was that sometimes the lack of privacy was a little bit too much. It was hard to find when you actually wanted some. Nobody liked anyone being off and alone too much. Then I wanted to learn more. I’m not saying everyone was uneducated, but we could only learn what the adults in our community knew and what they were willing to impart. Juniper Rowan lives here in town and he’d take in youth when they wanted to learn more. There are a great deal of other downsides to, but the education was my main issue when it came down to it. Your sandwiches should be ready soon. Where are you heading to?”

“We hadn’t decided, probably one of the state beaches.” Spencer said.

“Safe enough to wade in the water!” Jack added.

“There are areas which won’t let you bring food down to the beach, so mind the info signs.” 

A bell rang from the back and the girls both stood. Calliope left and came back with a brown paper bag, and Calisto returned with Sodas. Spencer pulled out money to pay, and the girls refused. Spencer noticed when Jack saw him slip it into the cash register anyway as they were all walking out and shared a wink with Jack.

They got back into the car and headed to shore. Jack talked constantly of going to the beach and putting his feet in the other ocean. He asked several times if they were there yet. They found a state beach and ate their lunches on top of the bluff looking over the ocean. Spencer’s sandwich was the same as the day before and Hotch’s was one of the cheese steaks. Jack’s lunch was similar to Spencer’s. 

“Do you think we can pack them up and move them back home with us?” Hotch said when he was half done.

“I wish, taste this,” Spencer pulled a chunk of his sandwich off and handed it to Hotch. Hotch took it and moaned. He in turn pulled bit of his off and handed it to Spencer, who also took it without any hesitation and ate it. Spencer’s moan was nearly as loud as Hotch’s had been.

“Oh, that is good.” Spencer said. “I’ve never had any of their cheese steaks and these are excellent.”

Jack asked for a taste of his dad’s sandwich as well.

“They also do fries, but I had a lot yesterday and Calisto never would let me eat fries too many days in a row.”

Jack giggled. He was almost done with his sandwich and eyeing the path to the sand and water.

“Can we go yet?”

“When everyone is done,” Hotch answered.

Jack sat and watched the ocean and the boats and other things out in it move about as he waited. He didn’t do much else, other than ask if they knew what things were. He liked the sailboats best, and there were a few people out on things that looked like surf boards, but the people were standing on them and using paddles to move. Jack pointed out a few kayakers to Spencer. 

They finished eating and placed their trash where it belonged. Hotch hung back as they walked down the trail.

“He behaved like that for you the whole week?” He asked.

“Jack? For the most part.” Spencer said. “The thing about waiting for things, in lines or for others, is that if you don’t focus on waiting, you won’t be upset by it. I always focused Jack onto other things. He loves to learn, Hotch. He is very easy to keep from any negative behavior.”

Hotch nodded. “Beth said at one point the reason I didn’t see how bratty and annoying Jack was is because he just always acted wonderful for me but the moment I was gone or not looking he would be mean and not mind anyone else he was with.”

Spencer shook his head. “I think the first thing I’d have to ask myself was ‘when’ was he behaving like she described. Let’s just look at this week. Think of Monday. When did you leave him with Beth? When did he act like she described? Did he even have a chance?”

Jack came bouncing back up the trail to them and they stopped to look closely at the cactus he found. Spencer helped him touch a spine and feel how sharp it was and Jack asked about a few of the other plants. Spencer answered what he could and took photos with the small camera he’d pocketed of those he couldn’t, so they could go look them up. Hotch told Jack that when they got home, he’d have to take him to the shore and they’d compare plants. Jack bound off again, looking to see if he could find any sort of critter.

“I actually can’t remember Beth being alone with him. When he wasn’t with me and her, he was with you. Did she ride any ride with him?”

“No. You tried to get her to several times but she refused.” Spencer said.

“Often by tossing a tizzy. Did Jack have a fit when he didn’t get to ride with me?” Hotch asked.

“No. He and I enjoyed ourselves each and every time we were sitting together. Was he hurt? A few times he was hurt by her refusal, but even then, he didn’t whine. How ready for the day did you have Jack Tuesday?”

“I had packed his bag and set it and his Jacket by the door; I had put on his socks. I had not had time to find his shoes. I gave Beth his ticket the night before.”

“He had his shoes, but didn’t have them on, but his Jacket and bag had been put on. He had to run out the door though; he was grabbing his shoes as he did. I don’t think she had much time to spend with him that morning either. Enough to scare and threaten him, but not enough for him to be really bratty to her.”

“And she didn’t spend time at all with him on Wednesday or Thursday.” Hotch said. “And frankly, I can’t see how he could even out brat her behavior wise yesterday. She pulled some doozies.”

“Are you guys coming or not?” Jack yelled. He was standing on the last of the trail before it hit beach, just waiting.

Spencer snickered. “I guess that could be bratty.”

“I figured that this would be one of those places you don’t go without adults accompanying you. I’m waiting to be accompanied.” Jack said when his adults got closer.

Spencer looked at Hotch. “And then, again. Jack is a smart kid and wants to do what is best. He thinks, Hotch. Let’s go, Jack. I’ll race you to the water’s edge.”

Spencer and Jack took off and left Hotch watching as they frolicked at the edge of the water. Spencer had the small camera, but had placed his bag and Jack’s bag, and their shoes high on the beach above the water line. Jack had his jeans off and was in his swim trunks, and Spencer had just rolled the legs of his jeans up really high. Hotch moved to where the stuff was and removed his jeans, going to join them.

Hotch and Jack build sand creations as Spencer climbed out on the rocks a bit looking for tidal pools and creatures to take photos of, and then they both helped Jack take pictures. Spencer told Jack about waves and tides, they discussed sea creatures. Hotch told Jack what he knew about ships and sailing, and spoke of summers spent sailing with people his dad knew when he was growing up. They stood in the waves and let the sand flow out from under them and Spencer caught Hotch and Jack jumping from the waves as they walked up and down the beach. They only stayed for about two and half hours. It was, after all, fall and not the warmest water to play in. Jack didn’t whine or fuss when they headed back, though.

“I want to go to the California Adventure Park first and look at what’s going on at the back-lot area, Dad, and then go to Disneyland and watch the fireworks.”

“Rides?” Spencer asked.

“We’ll decide when we get there.” Jack answered.

Spencer called and told his friend that they were going to Spencer’s rooms again. His friend informed them that they should check up on the suite the Hotchner’s had because the lady who’d been trying to get into Spencer’s room said she’d gone there first, which is how she knew all her stuff had been stolen. Spencer asked that security personnel accompany them and so there were witnesses to the state of the suite when the door was open. Nothing was broken, but all the sheets and towels and everything had been pulled off and out and tossed around. The water bottles they had left in the room had been opened and emptied, the fruit snacks open and tossed around. It was a huge mess. The hotel offered the Hotchners other rooms, but Aaron said they’d be fine in those if they were cleaned. The hotel staff was there before Spencer and the Hotchners even left the room. They then went to Spencer’s rooms and everyone got changed and ready for a night at the park.

They ate food they could carry along with them at the back lot. There was music and everything was all lit up. Jack was mesmerized. Spencer took video. “It’s like a huge club. Here’s the part of that Morgan would like best.” Spencer told Hotch, who just laughed and agreed. “I find I don’t mind it as much though, because it’s all outside and there is still space and not as tight a crowd.”

They did end up riding the Monsters Inc. ride once more, since they were back that way and everything.

Jack asked for the movie the back lot was decked out for when they left the back lot area. Spencer said he had the first and second and they could watch them when they got home. Hotch noted that somehow he was unsurprised by that.

The first thing they did when they crossed over into Disneyland was go ride the Teacups and Dumbo in the dark. Then Jack talked them into Matterhorn and the Monorails again. They walked and chatted after that, just enjoying the park with everything lit. They stayed for the fireworks display and decided to stay for Fantasmic again. Jack insisted they hit a shop one more time, and he bought Spencer and his dad pins with fireworks on them and stuffed Pluto’s. He also bought a whole bunch of post cards. Hotch asked Jack what he was going to do with all of them, and Jack said most he’d give to friends at school but he had some special plans in mind for some of the others. Spencer bought Jack a Wizard Mickey Christmas ornament and something that had caught his eye when he saw some kids with them at the show…Mickey Mouse Lollipops, the big ones. He bought some for everyone, and several for himself. He bought extra for the girls, Jack and Henry. He made a mental note to have JJ and Hotch get photos of the boys when they finally ate theirs. He also bought Jack a pin, the Disney crew on the beach.

Spencer took photos as they left the park and went to the hotel. Hotch treated them all to dessert and Spencer called his friend to tell him they were back at the hotel for the rest of the time until they checked out in the morning. Hotch decided to just grab his and Jack’s night stuff though, and leave their bags in Spencer’s room with Spencer.

Spencer started packing when he got to his rooms, after Hotch and Jack had gone back to their own. He moved quilts and bags and clothing about. He found clothing for the next day that would be comfortable to travel in and pulled it out. Then he tucked one of the quilts into each suitcase, moved the packages throughout each suitcase and tucked his clothing in around it all. He packed his small satchel and his pin bag. He called Hotch and asked if they wanted to put any of their stuff into his suitcases to make theirs pack easier and Spencer then moved one of their packages and Hotch’s empty big backpack to one of his suitcases. He made a last run to the Hotel gift store, catching it just before it closed for the night. He found zip lock baggies, to tuck in cookies so they could travel. He bought crayons and coloring books (some for Henry when he got back and for Jack to work on on the plane.) and found a few more items that could be used to entertain a kid on the plane and the books he’d remembered hearing about, which could entertain him for at least a few minutes. He picked up some more post cards and some other little trinkets (like more pencils and pens to tuck into his drawer in his desk and a few decks of cards with a Disney theme and luggage tags and locks and little tins of candies that he hadn’t noticed before but thought would be huge fun to add to souvenirs...Half were fully of jelly beans and half were mints. He bought several tins for himself as well. They reminded him of a candy store he used to visit with his mom when he was little that had been full of Hello Kitty stuff.).

He rearranged his large satchel one last time, moving all his cameras to their case and placing it within the big suitcase, except his main camera, and all his Disney items out and into suitcases. He placed his laptop in, the iPod, his camera, the Harry Potter book he needed to finish reading to Jack and the new books, crayons and coloring books and a few small toys he had bought into his satchel, along with everything else he’d need to head home in the morning. He closed up and locked two of the suitcases and then showered and got ready for bed. The open suitcase had enough room for his personal items from the bathroom and his dirty clothing and his Pajamas. He wrote his final post card to his mom and put the last three together to be mail in the morning, and wrote more in his long letter.

Spencer fell asleep with the TV on to give some sound and light, again.


	17. chapter 17

Aaron had grabbed his briefcase and his laptop before leaving Reid’s room, along with the small backpack which he stuffed their clothing for the next day and PJ’s in. Jack carried four cookies back to their room. Aaron wanted to check his email and see if he could get a list of all the consults that Spencer had done over the week. He knew he’d turned in those they’d brought with them and about four others he’d received Sunday evening between seminars on Tuesday. More than half they’d brought with them had actually been done by Spencer though. Hotch himself had done one more case the whole week. He also wanted to get some of the write ups for the week done.

Jack came bounding into the main room. It had been spotless when they got back, and everything had been replaced that had been spilled, which hadn’t been necessary. Housekeeping had left a note that they had replaced their tooth paste as well, which Hotch had left in the room accidentally when he’d packed his and Jack’s bath items that morning. 

‘Daddy, can I watch TV our here till I fall asleep?” Jack asked.

As Aaron preferred that anyway, he found a program Jack would like, a movie which he figured Jack had seen already and yet would keep him entertained while he did work on his laptop.

Aaron wasn’t surprised that his thoughts kept returning again and again to Reid, or Spencer as he was starting to think of him as more and more. He realized he knew so little about Reid’s background, about who he knew, his family and friends. He knew more about Morgan, about what he’d done in university and what he’d done growing up, even before that case. At the start of this trip he hadn’t even known Spencer dated, at all, ever, - let alone ever been close enough to a woman to let them sit with their arms draped over him, like Calisto had done at the sandwich shop. Hotch would have loved to have talked to Rueben alone, drilled the man on what Spencer was really like while he attended Caltech. He wanted to know who the man who called Reid tiny tot and had the power to tweak security for a hotel just for him was and how Spencer knew him.

Aaron groaned when he read the statistics about what they’d consulted on over the week. Reid had managed at least one a day, sometimes two or three. He had matched Aaron’s four Sunday night alone, and then two the next morning before they left for the park. Spencer had well earned them the working vacation title, even if Aaron himself hadn’t helped much. Furthermore, he’d only claimed a few as having been worked solely by himself, and Aaron recognized those as one done in person (yesterday) or that Spencer had noted as such so that if the ideas had been too far off, only he would get the blame. Reid had gone so far as to leave Hotch’s email as the contact, and Hotch read with awe the emails of thanks for what their consulting had provided the local department. That whole royal type ‘we’ had been used in abundance to make it seem like Aaron had helped as well. He started writing up the report for his Tuesday as he worked on reading other emails, using a hotel notepad to take notes on that he wanted to include other places as well. 

His email had other enlightening items. He had an email from Morgan, chewing him out for being so mean to Beth and lecturing him on making her feel like such a horrid person for not picking just the perfect birthday gift for Jack and how that was such a stupid reason for a fight and embarrassing her in public. It included a note that told him being drunk wasn’t an excuse.

Aaron simply wrote back _: Check your facts_.

Dave’s email was much shorter:

_“What the hell is going on down there?”_

Aaron sent him a reply that said to ask Garcia for the shortest version of facts only that she could give or just wait. 

Jack was asleep and Aaron was feeling the call himself. He shut his laptop down and set it with his stuff in the bedroom. Then he went and got Jack. Aaron settled into bed himself after a shower. As he drifted off he was surprised that once again what he was thinking of was Spencer, leaning against that blond girl, with her arms around Spencer’s shoulder and laying on his chest and wondering what it would be like to have Spencer in his arms like that instead. What it would be like to be that comfortable with Reid.


	18. chapter 18

Morning was quick and fast. Aaron finished stuffing the small backpack as he got Jack through the bath and dressed. He set Jack to making sure nothing was left in any drawers or closets or under beds or anything while he showered. Jack came up with a water bottle and a lone sock. Aaron tucked the Hotel notepad he’d been using and the other two empty ones into his briefcase for use throughout the day, as well as the pens. Jack asked to keep the half use lotion and the mini pack of tissues and Aaron agreed. Aaron checked the shelves of all the closets; after all they’d fetched the remote from the top shelf so who knew. He fished out another sock and one of Jack’s Mickey pens. They packed up the bottled water and fruit snacks. Finally everything was packed and they went to check get Spencer and check out. Jack insisted on a stop at the gift shop on their way. He pointed to a jacket on the wall. “Spencer needs that jacket, too, Daddy.”

It reminded Aaron of an old fashioned letterman’s but it was lighter weight than the one he’d owned in high school. It was red and black and had Mickey and an M. Jack was right; Aaron could see Spencer using it often. Aaron and Jack picked up some other small items: a set of Tinker Bell figurines for Jack to give his Auntie Penny as a thank-you for helping get Spencer to him, a twin mugs that said ‘my grandchild went to Disneyland and all I got was a mug’ for his Brooks grandparents, Disney print matchbox cars –two sets, one for him and one for Henry. Aaron picked up the car sets that were Scooby Doo and Super Heroes, taking a page from Reid and grabbing things for Christmas when he saw them. Aaron helped Jack buy his items and bought his own while Jack was making one last look to see if they forgot anything. Then they headed to Spencer’s room. Spencer was ready to go. They stuffed the small backpack into a suitcase and Aaron made sure the bags from the morning were in his suitcase. They fixed Jack’s side bag as a bag of things to do on the plane and not a Disneyland survival bag. They drank the bottled water and split all the fruit snacks between them. Hotch was left with his briefcase as his carry on and Jack had his side bag. Spencer’s satchel was ready to go, including stuff from Garcia he’d picked up from the front desk earlier that morning. Check out went smoothly and Spencer called his friend and told him they were going to the airport. A few moments later, and Spencer scolding said friend over the phone and the hotel had provided a car and driver. 

Getting through the airport was the hassle it always is, and Spencer texted Garcia that she and JJ owed him the costs of the luggage. They got through security, with a bit of a freak out about work Spencer was carrying with him that Garcia had faxed him that morning which lasted until the security guy’s boss came and made the security guy who’d found it necessary to flip through the file folders instead of just note they were file folders take a break and the boss checked their credentials.

“You’re traveling with a kid!” The guy who flipped through the files complained.

“A kid who knows better than to look into file folders!” Aaron answered.

“Besides, that is why I have them and not Agent Hotchner,” Spencer said. “I am not supposed to be sitting by said kid on the plane so should be free to look over them before we get back to Quantico.”

The boss nodded. “I am terribly sorry for the problems. Have a good day folks.”

Aaron picked up some wine for Rossi and himself as they went towards their gate, which he apparently always did. Spencer picked up water bottles for on the plane and little trinkets from the State of California, including post cards and about a dozen pins and a few key chains. The found a restaurant and ate breakfast.

“Daddy,” Jack said as they were waiting for their food. Aaron had declared they were to all eat well as they’d be on the plane at lunch time, and so far none of them had ever declared a like for air plane food. “Do you think anyone else remembered my birthday?”

“I’m sure they did,” Aaron told him. “And remember? We have to bring cupcakes tomorrow to school for your birthday. I think Aunt Jess said she get those together for us.”

“What about Spencer’s?”

“I’ll make sure everyone remembers Spencer’s, too.” Aaron told Jack. 

The food came and they dug in. Reid was eating some sort of hash browns with all sorts of vegies in them and cheese on top. Aaron was pretty certain he’d identified peppers and onions. 

“What is in that?” Aaron asked Reid. 

“Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, diced zucchini and diced summer squash, tomato and avocado. There is also bacon in it. The spicing is rather nice.”

Aaron looked at his own dish – two hotcakes, scrambled eggs, a side of toast and some bacon.

“I never noticed you were so exploratory in your food before.” Aaron said.

Reid tilted his head and Jack tilted his the same way.

“Some things are worth giving a try, I guess. I’ve eaten similar dishes before; they remind me of the hash my mom used to fix when I was growing up. I figured I’d give it a go, especially since I do not like eggs before a flight. I’ve had waffles and pancakes so often the last week that this seemed a good alternative to try. The apple waffles or the peaches and cream waffles would have been good choices though as well.”

Jack looked at his waffles, which were called banana split waffles, and nodded. “We did have fun eating non-tra…non-tar…not normal breakfast foods on Jack and Spencer day, though.” Jack said.

Spencer smiled. “That we did.”

Aaron couldn’t remember hearing what they ate. “What did you eat?”

“I tried…Spencer, what was the green vegetable?” Jack asked.

“Asparagus.”

“That, and there were crab legs, and we had a qwiech.”

“Quiche. And they had biscuits and gravy. We had some other stuff, too. The hotel had a wonderful breakfast buffet in one of the restaurants.” Reid said.

“And the quiche was kind of like an omelet.” Jack said.

“I decided to feed him food that little kids can’t eat.” Spencer said.

Aaron laughed. “Sounds like a great breakfast to me.”

They finished eating and headed to their gate. Spencer dragged them into small store again. 

“Pick chips. Two or three bags. That way we have fruit snacks and chips and should be fine for munchies for the flight.”

Jack picked his out and Aaron protested Spencer buying his and Jack’s but Spencer just smiled and picked out both of Aaron’s favorite type of chips and bought them all anyway. Spencer picked up a book of logic problems, three word search books and a crossword puzzle book, and a bag of mechanical pencils. Then he grabbed a cola. Reid smiled. “I don’t like drinking coffee in crowded air planes, but the Stewardess never comes by with drinks when you actually want one.” He said.

They had a few hours before the plane took off, so they settled to wait. For a little while Jack and Spencer did some word searches together, and then they played a form of ‘I spy’ that was above and beyond anything Aaron had ever played before.

“I spy a multiple of three! In a color of valentine’s day.” Reid said. Jack found the red nine first.

“I spy” Jack said next “the….the fourteenth letter as a main feature.” Aaron was stumped. Spencer found the man with a funny nose. Although Aaron wasn’t winning, he decided he really liked the game. Soon annoyed looks from people around them had brought them back to looking at books. 

Beth was not yet anywhere to be seen.


	19. chapter 19

Spencer caught sight of Beth first. Hotch was playing cars with Jack, running the matchbox cars Spencer had picked up that morning around the floor and over chairs (apparently Hotch had bought some cooler ones but forgotten to remove them from the bag and packed them this morning, but Jack said Spencer chose just fine). It had taken Spencer twenty minutes to convince Hotch that he should do stuff with Jack instead of looking through the case files Garcia had faxed over. As it was crowded, Spencer looked them over with a notebook he’d had in his satchel covering all but what he was currently studying. What he was studying at the moment were places, and what he wanted was a map. He had just glanced up as he started to pull out his laptop when he saw Beth coming towards them. She was so not dressed for an airplane trip.

He closed his eyes and hoped she wouldn’t see them. Of course it didn’t work. Spencer shut the file and tucked it into his satchel. He couldn’t focus on case files, keeping Jack from the wrath of Beth, keeping himself from not laying it straight to her as best he could and then again in simple terms she could understand, keeping Hotch from falling into her traps and navigating keeping everyone calm enough to be on an airplane all at the same time.

“Oh Aaron, darling, did you miss me?” Beth simpered, looking around to see how many people were looking towards them.

“Hi Beth. I am glad you are here to catch your flight home.” Hotch said.

“Did you miss me, though?”

“When was I supposed to have missed you?” Hotch asked, looking confused.

“While I was gone on my last two days of vacation, silly?”

“I wish you had actually been gone,” Jack said, apparently not quite quietly enough.

“No one asked you, you little cretin.” Beth snarled. “Aaron, love, aren’t you going to come give me a kiss?”…and she was back to the simpering.

“No, I’m not.” Aaron responded.

“What are you doing on the floor anyway? That is such an undignified position for someone of your status.”

“I’m playing with Jack, Beth.” Hotch answer.

Spencer decided to make his presence heard. “How was your day yesterday?”

Beth turned to glare at Spencer and Spencer just smiled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, of course.”

“Of course.” Spencer said smiling. 

Beth looked around at the people sitting by where Spencer and Hotch were sitting. Typing had slowed and heads had looked up until she started looking around, then they dropped down quick… except for several other children who were staring at her. Beth glared harder at Spencer then turned to Hotch.

“However, Aaron, if something happened yesterday and there was a complaint made you must understand that it was all some big misunderstanding, on all of their parts of course, not mine. I would have told people what I wanted and where I wanted it from. It was easy enough. They would have been the ones who simply could not comprehend that my orders should have been followed and I should have been allowed to access whatever I wanted from where ever I wanted it from. If something were to have happened, which it didn’t. But I was gone, for the last two days of this vacation, off by myself as a treat from my wonderful darling, who I am certain missed me terribly, so nothing could have happened.”

“I sent you off for a vacation from our supposed family vacation and had you miss my son’s birthday?” Hotch asked. A few gasps came from people surrounding them.

“Don’t be silly. And don’t say things like that where people could hear you, for Pete’s sake. What are they going to think? I didn’t miss any birthdays. I know when the boy’s birthday is and I didn’t miss it. I’ll have a most wonderful day together for us when his birthday comes around; it’s only what someone who loves you would do.”

Jack was the one to break out laughing. “So, you are trying to tell my dad and me, and Spencer, that my birthday wasn’t the day we celebrated? That you know better than me when it is?”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Beth said.

“Beth, give it up.” Hotch said.

“What?”

“Give it up. There is surveillance footage from yesterday’s escapades. There is enough documentation for Friday night to prove what we know happened happened. Everything else we talked about, documented. Give it up.”

“But Aaron, I thought you…”

“Loved you, I know, I know. I thought I did too, but I’ve had to face sides of you I do not like this week and I had to face hard truths about myself I’m not fond of either, and I find I no longer want to play these games. This….it’s why Jack’s mom and I got divorced. Well, one of the reasons. Games and guilt trips and constantly telling me I was wrong and not doing anything right. I’m not playing, not again and definitely not right from the very start.”

“Aaron, if you will just remember what we talked about you’ll realize that everything this week has simply been a misunderstanding. You just didn’t understand and listen to me. We’ll fix things as soon as we are back home. Things can go back to normal. Your bad influences will be farther away again and Jack will be somewhere where you can have your space again. You’ll be happy with me and see how right I have been this whole time. I’m the only one who has been right, you know. Now since you aren’t going to tell me how terribly you missed me and since you haven’t come over to take my horribly heavy bags and since you are sitting with such wretched company, I’m going to go somewhere else to sit. I do hope you remembered to tell the airline people that we want Jack to sit somewhere else, preferably by someone less a bad influence than that co-worker of yours, but if they insist he sit by an adult he knows I guess that man will do. Hop to it!”

Beth waltzed off, settling about four rows over and hiking the skirt she was wearing up a bit as she sat, making sure her legs were displayed. She batted her eyes at passersby and smiled sweetly.

Spencer wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or yell. Jack popped up into a chair and tucked the cars he’d picked up back into his bag.

“Was that ignoring me or was that something else?” Spencer asked.

Jack shrugged. “At least she didn’t call you a cretin. What is a cretin?”

“It’s a mean thing to call someone. Plus she didn’t use it properly anyway.” Hotch said.

“Are you going to ask them to move me?” Jack asked.

“No. If she wants to move, however, she can try.” Hotch said.

“Jack, my iPod is fully charged and has a Disney mania playlist. Your daddy could look through other playlists as well and see if there would be other things you might like.”

Hotch snorted. “You have a Disney mania playlist?”

“I have an iPod thanks to Garcia; it has music on it put there by Garcia. I have show tunes, I have musicals –she has those separate, I have Disney, I have Sesame Street, I have ‘club music’, I have country girl singers, I have a Halloween playlist, a Fourth of July playlist and a Christmas playlist, I have the Wiggles and Weird Al. Garcia likes to torture people. The Barbie song is on there, and pretty much everything from that band and another that sounds a lot like it and sings a song about Tarzan. It’s all… boppy. Not all was bad; there was some stuff I listen to. A list she entitled Bubble Gum music wasn’t horrid, still way boppy but some was what I heard when I was little and my mom would listen to to drive my dad up the wall. There is a whole playlist of the Beach Boys and John Denver. I like the Cure and Depeche Mode and Erasure and bands like that. The blue song is on there. However, so is the ‘sex on the beach’ song. I finally added my own music. The list entitled Spencer’s sleep music is new aged, Enya pure mood type stuff. Spencer’s anytime is classical. Spencer’s cool down music is instrumental but pop songs. There is a piano playlist.”

Hotch was laughing before Spencer had managed half the list. “You didn’t think to delete the first playlists off of it?” Hotch asked.

“Heck no.” Spencer said. “Are you crazy? I do not want to know what she’d put on if she found out I’d deleted her playlists! She put this crazy frog stuff on Morgan’s! It’s worse than the Chipmunks.”

Jack smiled. “I could listen to a lot of your music. But what will you do?”

Spencer smiled. “I have some books to read, and my computer and I ought to finish looking at the case files.”

“On the airplane? What if whoever sits next to you screams like the security guy.”

“I keep everything but what I’m actually reading covered, and hold the files so they are hard to see.”

“Does it work?”

“Usually. If people are really annoying, I start to ramble and then they usually focus elsewhere.”

Hotch rolled his eyes. “If we didn’t actually need them covered before tomorrow I’d tell you to keep them put away. However, I need to look at the tonight and Garcia only sent one copy.”

“For the one we need maps before we can do much with what I was looking at.” Spencer said. “That is the first thing I’m going to look at. In fact, I should probably download some now.”

Spencer popped his laptop open and connected to the hot spot long enough to download several maps that included the coordinates given in the files. He also downloaded maps of surrounding areas and states.

“Anything else while this is up?” Spencer asked.

Hotch and Jack shook their heads and Spencer shut the laptop down until he was on the plane. Jack was getting antsy, so Hotch and Spencer took him walking down to the restroom, and everyone used it. Jack pointed out to Spencer how it was like Ian’s potty rule and Spencer laughed, and then had to explain to Hotch.

“And I learned, Daddy, that you are lucky.” Jack added.

“I am?” Hotch asked. 

“Yep, you have me and I am a boy!” Jack said. “You’d have a horrid time all the time if I were girl.”

“I would?” Hotch asked.

“You’d either have to stand outside the girls room yelling and having your girl yell back being kind of embarrassed. Or you’d have to hope for a family restroom and hope people who saw you go in it with your little girl didn’t think wrong things and yell at you. Or you’d have to cover your girl’s eyes as you took them into a man’s restroom and hope no one said anything bad.”

“I would. I am very glad you are my boy.”

“Poor Ian.” Jack said.

Spencer was trying very hard not to laugh as they walked back to the gate. They had Jack play a hopping game as the headed to the gate, trying to burn some energy. They sat back down and Spencer rummaged in his bag to find something for Jack to do.

“Daddy?” Jack asked, upside down in his chair and looking at the ceiling.

“Yes, Buddy?” Hotch said.

“Was Mommy a whole lot like Beth?”

Hotch dropped the notebook he’d been looking in and papers spilled out. Spencer knelt down and started gathering them, listening and trying to figure out how Hotch would deal with the question.

“At one time she acted a bit like Beth does, because she was very very mad at me and disappointed in me and most of all disappointed in how her life was going. It didn’t last too long though after we got our divorce and she could find a new way for her life to go.” Hotch said.

“Aunt Jess said that Mommy had dreams of how her life would be and when you chose your job, they no longer could come true. But that Mommy thought you would tire of your job and she would be able to make you follow her dreams instead of realizing that you loved your job and were good at it and might be following your dreams by doing it. Then she started trying to make you choose her over the job and making you feel bad if the job came first. She also said that at the same time she was doing that she wasn’t being very nice to you and was doing things wives who really wanted things to work out shouldn’t. And that sometimes she used me against you, even after she left and even after the divorce.”

“Aunt Jess has certainly been talking a lot with you about it. It wasn’t all your mommy’s fault though. You have to remember that. Also, sometime when people grow they grow apart, they develop different goals and ideals and ideas and plans. Many people can overcome those things by talking and telling each other what they want and need and are thinking all along, but sometimes people don’t communicate well. I didn’t realize your mommy was unhappy, at all, until it was pretty much too late to fix things. I tried, but I couldn’t be what she wanted because I didn’t actually know what she wanted. I thought I was giving her what she wanted, but it didn’t change how unhappy she was at all. Long before that time though, I realize now I stopped trying to get her to talk to me about things and talking to her about things. I don’t know if I ever shared with your mommy how I felt about doing my job, the good times or the bad times. When she was upset and I asked why or what was wrong and she said nothing, I just accepted that and didn’t try anymore. You have to talk to people and share if you want to share lives. But she wasn’t always like that. There were times when we were happy and she was happy. Usually she wasn’t like that, only for a bad short time.” Hotch said.

Jack nodded. “I remember her telling me I couldn’t see you a few times, because she was making you pay. That’s one reason I asked Aunt Jess about it.”

“You remember that?” Hotch asked.

Jack nodded. “I also remember one night when you came to Aunt Jess’s and looked so sad and so tired and you just watched me. Mommy just thought I was asleep.”

“You were way little that night.” Hotch said.

Jack just shrugged. “I only remember a few things from living with Aunt Jess. Not too many.”

Hotch just shook his head. Spencer handed Hotch his notebook and asked Jack if he would like to listen as Spencer read. Jack nodded and flipped right-side up in the chair. Spencer read a few chapters of the Harry Potter book, finishing it. Boarding was finally called (after two more hopping games and a made up story later that involved standing, sitting, clapping, spinning, melting, growing, sleeping, raining, blowing and snoring… trying to sit still to write a list didn’t work). Spencer handed over his iPod and smiled as Hotch settled Jack into the window seat, before heading further back to his own seat.

Even before takeoff Spencer had re-evaluated what he was going to do for the flight, and work was nowhere on the list. He had the privilege to be seated next to two un-accompanied minors for the duration of the flight. Luckily they were well equipped to entertain themselves, although the boy had a tendency to share beyond what Spencer thought was appropriate to strangers (he found it interesting someone would name their child Treivit, but he really didn’t care that Treivit scored the last goal of the last soccer game of the season nor that he had a huge crush on Emma but that Emma liked Ralph and because of this that the sixth grade erupted into a brawl and everyone had to stay after school to set things to right and that now the child’s teacher was afraid to leave the room to use the restroom and the child sitting next to him now had to sit by Emma and so Treivit and Ralph were mad at him and trying to beat him up and they could even though he was probably the oldest kid in the grade because his birthday was always about two days to a week before school started and he could have been in the grade above but then he’d have been the youngest and there were sooo many kids in the grade above so his mom put him in preschool instead and that was fine because the group of kids he was with now was a nice small class and he was only oldest for like a week and…). Spencer missed the work jet. He was able to redirect the child to his game system the moment it could be turned on, thank goodness. The boy’s sister read, with her headphones in and her music system playing the moment it could. She wasn’t bad as seating company.

He had spent an hour enjoying the peace that came with plugged in children on an airplane, typing a paper for one of his classes that he was working on trying to get his next degree (which was taking way longer than it should because several of the professors at the University he was attempting to get the degree from had an attendance policy and they wouldn’t waive it!). The tap on his shoulder surprised him because he had stopped paying too much attention.

A stewardess was standing in the aisle trying to get his attention.

“Sir, would you mind switching seats?” She asked.

“Excuse me?” Spencer said.

“Well, it is just you were identified as being a traveling companion to the group with which we are having issues, and passengers all around them are complaining, so we thought maybe we could move the lady back here and you could sit with the gentleman and the child. Maybe she would quiet down and passengers all around them could get some peace. Please?”

The fact that Beth was making a stewardess sound so desperate was the only reason Spencer agreed. He gathered his bag and moved to the back of the plane while Beth moved to the seat he’d been in. Then Spencer moved to join Hotch and Jack, who was still sitting in his window seat. Hotch looked as stressed as Spencer had ever seen him, ever.

“Has she been at you the whole time?” Spencer asked.

“I seriously considered how best to save the maximum amount of people on the plane after the good passengers who were seated around us flipped and opened the hatch while in air to throw her out, or someone went insane and found some way to strangle or kill her like that, setting off mass panic.”

“That bad?” Spencer asked.

The answer was a resounding yes from everyone in the seats around them.

“How is Jack then?” Spencer asked.

Hotch tapped Jack on the shoulders and Jack pulled out the ear buds. Spencer could hear the music blaring from where he was.

“Hotch! He can’t listen to those that loud, it will ruin his ears.” Spencer hissed, shocked. Hotch then nodded to Jack, who took out yellow squishy safety ear plugs. 

“Sorry.” Spencer said.

“Not a problem, at least that yelling at me was for a rational reason. Jack, turn the music down and listen to it regularly now.” Jack nodded and waved to Spencer and then turned the music down to a good level and plugged the ear buds back in.

“One of the stewardesses was kind enough to bring those by the third time she heard Beth call him a monster or brat.”

Spencer pulled out his laptop and looked around. “I guess there is one good thing about the switch. I can do work here.”

Spencer got out the case files he was working with and pulled up the maps on his computer to fuss with. Hotch watched as Spencer managed to keep those around him from seeing what he was working on for the most part. It was a skill he could see bit of Spencer’s ability with sleight of hand in.

“Do this often?” Hotch asked.

“I take public transit to work.”

Spencer worked on the case file with the coordinates until he had plotted all he could. Then he looked at the current map again and then once more. Hotch noticed the look of realization that passed over Spencer’s face.

“You know,” Spencer said. “All these dumpsites are marked as trail heads for backcountry hiking. I’ll have to plot the other sites in to better maps of other states to see if all the dumps are.”

Hotch nodded. “Garcia had mentions they were all found on trails.”

“But they aren’t as remote as one might think, or as they could have been with just like two minutes of work. If the …one dumping…hadn’t wanted the drops found why didn’t they take the …drop…up the trail a little ways. These aren’t as well used trails as the ones you can take your atv’s and such on, in some cases a drop could have been there a good six weeks or so before anyone stumbled upon it, even if left right in the middle of the trail.”

Hotch watched as the other passengers nearby listened to Spencer and tried to figure out what he was actually talking about. “You don’t ride often with co-workers on that public transit, do you?” Hotch asked.

Spencer’s face reddened. 

Hotch leaned close enough to whisper in Spencer’s ear, which Spencer noticed caused him to shiver. “I can’t decide what they all think we do.”

Spencer looked around at the others near them on the plane. A few seemed embarrassed to be caught listening in.

“It’s the sensation of air travel and your company, sir.” Spencer said. He hoped the addition of ‘sir’ would give those around them still listening something more to speculate about. “It makes me think ‘Need to hit the ground running’.”

Hotch leaned back enough for Spencer to not feel his breath on his neck, and that let Spencer relax a bit. Spencer turned the laptop for Hotch to view. 

“I think you may have something. Why didn’t the others notice, I wonder?”

“I don’t think I would have yet except the map of Idaho I could get to download while waiting was one for recreation and had all sorts of trails marked, including ones which are non-motorized, and in some cases even non-bike. See this one is a non-motorized trail head, off an all-purpose trail…and this looked like it was just a dump off the side of the road. It’s not, that is the trail head to a backpack trail back into those hills. And this one? Down a country road to a dirt road and off onto what almost looks like a farm access road…to a trail head that goes up into these mountains and starts there between two ranches. Number five might even be in state or national parkland, if I’m reading this right.”

“So where would someone get this information? BLM?” Hotch asked.

Spencer nodded. “ Also, Parks and Recreation. Hiking web sites.”

“Locals.”

“Except these cover multiple states. So probably not someone local, but maybe who talked to locals.”

“How about nature enthusiasts?”

Spencer shrugged. “I’ll have to wait till we are home to work the rest, I didn’t download the maps which would give me the info I need for the other states.”

“How many files did Garcia fax?”

“This and one other. I need to look more at that but can’t here.”

Hotch nodded. “So, what are you going to do the rest of the flight?”

Spencer shrugged. “Probably read, I picked up this kids’ series that takes place in the Disney parks, was going to read those.”

Hotch nodded. “Hand me the case files then.”

Spencer handed Hotch the case files and pulled out the first book. “Do you think Jack would like me to read aloud to him?”

Hotch nodded and the unplugged Jack from the iPod. Jack jumped at the chance to hear Spencer read to him again and so Hotch switched seats with Spencer so he was nearer Jack.

Soon Spencer was reading and Jack was smiling as he leaned against Spencer. Spencer had a wonderful reading voice and it was soothing to hear as Hotch concentrated on the case files. Every once in a while Spencer would shift one or the other of the two note books Hotch was using to cover what he wasn’t reading so that only what Hotch was reading was showing, and he was always right.

The plane ride home went quickly. Spencer wondered a few times how Beth was faring, and how others around Beth were faring. He also contemplated what they would meet up with at home, and the best way to get to his home from the airport. As the passengers were alerted to shut down electronics and prepare for landing, Spencer leaded over to Hotch.

“I need all your photopass cards, from Disneyland.” Spencer said.

“Why?”

“So, I can get you my main gift to you.” 

Hotch nodded and promised to have them to Spencer the next day at work. As they got everything tucked away, into the right bags and ready to be removed with them when they landed and were able to get off the plane, Jack started to tell Spencer about all the things he needed to tell everyone as soon as he saw them. Spencer promised he would remember Jack’s plans and remind him as well, if he needed to. Jack watched out the window as the plane descended and landed and Spencer looked at each place Jack was pointing to. The traffic looked bad around the airport. Spencer rather hoped someone would be waiting for them.


	20. chapter 20

Spencer needn’t have worried. Garcia was waiting for them at the baggage claim, with a big sign, as if they wouldn’t remember what she looked like. Spencer took advantage of her waiting like that and fetched his luggage bag by bag to her side. His bags were easy to locate and for once some of the first off the plane and to the luggage carousel. Then he decided to sit back and watch Beth, who was trying to get Hotch to respond to her.

Hotch had found Jack’s bag and brought it and Jack over to Spencer and Garcia before heading back over to find his bag and deal with Beth, who seemed to be ignoring her own bags and trying to get Hotch to fetch them for her.

“I have been instructed to bring Beth back with us to dinner at Rossi’s.” Garcia said.

“Why?” Jack whined. Spencer looked at the boy, rather shocked. He hadn’t whined the whole week, not a full out whine like that, although Spencer really had to agree.

“Well, mostly because not many know what your week has been like. I’m sure they are all expecting everything to be roses and cupcakes and lollipops and rainbows. Although I know there have been communications.”

“Beth called and complained?” Spencer asked.

“To Morgan at least, he called me to have me call you and chew you out for being so mean to Beth, while he got ahold of Hotch.”

“When?” Spencer asked.

“Yesterday is when he called me, so probably yesterday.”

“Oh!”

“That’s what she must have been doing while we went to the park and the beach.” Jack said. “Do you think Daddy needs help?”

“We could go see. I’ll be right back, Garcia.”

Spencer took Jack over to Hotch, who was getting a bit annoyed with Beth and could use Jack as an excuse to move and look for his luggage. Beth didn’t like that they were there, she pushed Spencer when he stood close enough to touch Hotch’s arm and let him know Jack was with him again. Spencer headed back to stand by Garcia after Beth pushed him the second time.

“So, did you know what she did yesterday?” Spencer asked when he got back.

“I did, because the hotel actually made a complete complaint. They brought in a local cop to come question her and everything. I had anything that involved any of your names flagged to alert me all week. I was worried more about her abandoning Jack someplace in the park though, because she forgot he was in her care, or her being caught leaving him at the hotel. What was she doing trying to break into your rooms anyway?”

“She said I stole her stuff. She tried to talk the cleaning staff into letting her in my room, but I’d requested no one but me enter and I know someone and he’d managed to get my door to set off an alarm if tampered with.”

Garcia shook her head. “I guess I always thought better of her.”

Spencer nodded. “I didn’t think highly of her, she always seemed very fake and condescending to most other people, except those who she saw as people who could get her something, but she was way beyond what I expected this week. I can quite seriously say I almost hate her, for the most part. The way she treated Jack all week was beyond atrocious. And I don’t generally hate anyone. The biggest annoyance? She sees nothing wrong with her behavior and everything wrong about the rest of ours because we didn’t do things her way and her way alone. So what are we up to at Rossi’s anyway?”

“Uh, Hello? Jack had a birthday we all had to miss! I personally think Rossi wanted it as a time for announcing something special as well, but I don’t see that happening.”

Spencer snorted. “I don’t think it would have anyway. Hotch doesn’t strike me as someone who would rush into marriage until he was certain about how his family would mesh together and talked it over with Jack and Jessica at the very least, extensively.”

Garcia smiled. “I think you, my boy, know our fearless leader much better than others do, and we never believe you about it.”

Spencer laughed. “Of course you don’t. I’ve decided that is all right though. I just get to be right more often. Does Beth know she is supposed to be heading out with us?”

Garcia rammed her shoulder into his. “Yes, Morgan mentioned that he’d told her yesterday. Go see if you can’t help our fearless leader. He has been standing there a long time.”

“His bag has gone around four times.” Spencer said.

Spencer walked over, raised his hand to Hotch and waved till he got Hotch’s attention. He pointed to the carousel and when Hotch nodded, walked right up and pulled Hotch’s bag off, checking the tag to make sure he was correct. He walked back to Garcia, left the bag with her and walked to where Hotch and Jack were standing, Beth right in front of them making it so Hotch couldn’t move past her.

“Hotch, I’ve got your bag and it’s by Garcia. Are we all ready to go yet?”

“How dare you touch his bag!” Beth snarled.

“He gave me permission to do so. Do you need help? I notice you haven’t got your bags yet. I see one of them, how many more are there? Do you want me to get it?”

“Don’t you touch my stuff! Aaron will get them for me, of course. There are three. You should just take the kid and stand by that woman. Why is she here anyway?”

“She is our ride to Rossi’s.”

“Oh, that nice man. Isn’t he sweet, throwing a welcome home party just for me and Aaron.”

Spencer took Jack’s hand. “I suppose, if you think that is what it is.”

“Well, what else would it be?” Beth asked.

Spencer rolled his eyes and took Jack by the hand to Garcia. Before he had moved out of hearing range he heard Hotch say “Beth, go get your bags. I’ll grab one but you will grab the other two. Stop being…”

Hotch’s voice was too quiet to hear the rest but everyone could hear Beth’s response. “But Aaron, how can you expect me to cart two heavy suitcases, that isn’t a very nice thing for a lover to ask. You are so mean to me!”

Garcia winced. “That happen all week?”

Jack nodded. “More or less.”

“Oh, you poor sweet baby G-man, at least you had Jr. G-man to protect you.” Garcia said, hugging Jack. “Can you pull your own suitcase?”

Jack nodded. “Friday night I pulled the small green spattered one, too, but all it had was Spencer’s fuzzy quilt that Mr. Reuben’s wife made him, and it is soooo wonderful but it wasn’t heavy. I don’t know if I could pull it anymore.”

“Was Mr. Rueben as nice in person as he sounded on the phone?” Garcia asked Jack.

Jack beamed. “Oh yes! And we have cookies, his wife made them and once, when Spencer was little….she grounded him. Wouldn’t let him read or work or anything. It’s that funny? Being grounded from working and reading?”

“Really?” Garcia asked. Spencer did not like the look on Garcia’s face at all. She looked like a kid who just found a cookie stash. “I bet you have loads of great stories about my Jr. G-man’s junior years. And won’t you have so much fun telling your Auntie Penny?”

Jack beamed. “I learned lots. But the bestest story? It isn’t from when he was little.”

“Do tell…”

Jack shook his head. “Maybe later, when Spencer can start up his laptop and show pictures!”

“How about maybe later when only Auntie Penny is there to look?” Spencer said.

“But Spencer, maybe if Derek and Uncle Dave saw they’d stop teasing you so much.” Jack said.

“No, I’m sure they’d just tease me more.”

“Oh, come on guys! I really want to know now…” Garcia started, but Beth and Hotch had joined them, Beth grumbling as she pulled two of her suitcases, the smaller two but still two and she had her own carry-ons as well.

“Everyone ready?” Hotch said. He grabbed his suitcase and Spencer helped him balance his briefcase and the bag with the wine in it and Beth’s largest suitcase. Spencer helped Jack get his bag and suitcase together as well, ready to be pulled. Beth stood and glared the whole time. 

“Which suitcase you want to drag, Garcia?” Spencer asked.

“I’ll take the big blotchy one. Is there a story behind these?”

Jack shouted, “Yes! You see Spencer, when he wasn’t too big yet…”

“Oh, do be quiet. No one wants to hear about those absolutely horrible suitcases. It’s an embarrassment to be seen near them at all.” Beth said. Jack’s smile was wiped off his face and he seemed to deflate into himself.

Garcia hissed, but didn’t say anything. She took the handle of the large green splattered suitcase and Spencer got the other two ready to go. “Lead the way, oh wise one!” He said, and Jack smiled.

“So anyway, Aaron,” Beth started, pushing Spencer and Jack out of the way to walk behind Garcia and next to Hotch, “the children I was sitting next to were just aggravating. I do not think anyone under the age of like…seventeen …should be allowed to fly without their parents there to control them. They just sat there and played the whole time, and they never did anything I told them to. At all. I told the girl to find me a pillow, she didn’t. After the fourth time, she told me to contact the stewardess and ask for one, but that lady hates me. I never got my pillow; I just couldn’t bear to have to ask something from that witch. And that little boy? Horrid. He left one of the headphones off his ear and his game kept making noise, the whole time. And when I told him to turn it off, he didn’t. They were just so rude and I can’t…”

Jack sighed. “I still can’t believe we have to bring her with us.” He said to Spencer after the others had moved off a little ways. Spencer’s smaller splotchy suitcase’s wheels didn’t like going the right way very well and Jack’s suitcase kept getting stuck.

“Yes, well.” Spencer said. Jack giggled. 

“At least you don’t sound happy about it either.” Jack said.

“I’d almost rather just go home, but Rossi will at least have good food. I have got to go grocery shopping. And I can’t remember if I cleaned out my fridge before we left. There may be green ham and very nasty cheese in there, not to mention way nasty milk.”

Jack laughed and Spencer smiled. “I guess if I remember to think about it like that, I can have a perfectly okay time. I’ll just repeat: Uncle Dave always has good food and he has a big backyard.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Garcia had halted the procession till Spencer and Jack caught up, and they spent the rest of the walk to the SUV she had brought listening to Beth continue to …well, chatter.

“…and my feet are killing me! Those airplanes just don’t have enough leg room, I mean seriously and that horrid witch of a stewardess insisted I had to put one of my carry-ons under my seat! Can you imagine? She said that there wasn’t room in the overheads for both, unless I wanted to leave on down by where you were and I simply couldn’t do that….”

Spencer and Jack rolled their eyes and Garcia saw them and giggled. Luckily Beth couldn’t complain much more before Garcia saw the vehicle and unlocked it. It beeped and the lights flashed and Hotch noticed what she had been driving.

“Who let you drive one of the SUV’s?” Hotch asked.

“Rossi, so that we only needed one vehicle.” Garcia said. “Mind you, this is so not on my list of things to drive, sir. It is big and horrifying and I am positively certain I accidentally gave some poor old lady a heart attack because it is so much bigger than my car and I merged without remembering how big the awful thing is. Would you like keys?”

Hotch eagerly took them. Hotch drove them to Rossi’s after they loaded up (“Aaron, be sure that my suitcases are on top, we can’t be letting anything in there be squished, now can we?” “Aaron, are you sure you are doing this right, I mean my cases are obviously the more important, shouldn’t they be the ones closest to the door?” ”Aaron, shouldn’t I take care of that wine? I can’t believe you managed to surprise me with such a wonderful treat!” ”What do you mean that isn’t for me? Of course it is for me, who else would you give it to? You can’t just give it to someone else when you should have bought it for me.”). Beth sat up front with him and Garcia sat in the second seat with Spencer and Jack, and the wine for Rossi and Hotch. Garcia spent the whole ride trying to get Jack to spill more, and Spencer spent the whole ride asking if she wouldn’t rather wait till later, like after the whole dinner at Rossi’s and in private and when there would be a night to forget what Jack was telling her before she saw the rest of the team and spilled all the stories to them for Spencer’s eternal torment. Jack was laughing too hard to really talk anyway, which was sort of the point.


	21. chapter 21

From the looks of the vehicles at Rossi’s the whole team was already there, as was Aunt Jessica. Spencer took the wine (after Spencer hid Hotch’s bottles away in one of Spencer’s suitcases and then locked it back up) and Hotch walked with Jack into Rossi’s house. Garcia had run in ahead. Beth stomped into the house, until she realized everyone was in the main room and could see her less than graceful entry. Then she switched on a beaming smile and slid in. Spencer just walked in and stood far enough away to watch the shenanigans. He did make it in time to hear the whole crowd yell “Happy Birthday” and Beth growl. Rossi noticed, but Spencer doubted Morgan did, as he was glaring at Hotch.

Rossi tilted his head the direction of the kitchen as Jack ran into the small crowd of people to accept his birthday greetings.

“So?” Rossi asked Spencer as he entered the room.

“I come bearing the gifts. They are from Hotch though.” Spencer said, handing the bag of wine to Rossi.

“That is not what I was talking about, and you know it!”

“I don’t know what you’d like to hear.” Spencer said.

“Oh, you know exactly what I am after.” Rossi said.

“Not really,” Spencer replied.

The conversation got no further because Jack came running in.

“Spencer! It’s a birthday party. And there are presents and there is a birthday cake that Uncle Dave got me. And Aunt Jess even brought games to play!”

Spencer kneeled down to Jack’s level. “Are we starting now?”

“Yep, as soon as you and Uncle Dave go out to the backyard! So come on!”

Spencer smiled at Rossi and took Jack’s offered hand, allowing himself to be pulled out the door.

Jessica was standing by the table where Jack pulled Spencer first. It was a small table so looked positively covered with gifts, even though Spencer was pretty certain there were only one or two from each team member and Aunt Jess. The table next to it was a bit bigger and it looked loaded down with food, and the cake stood in the middle. Three tiered and decorated with bright reds and yellows and blues.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Jack whispered to Spencer.

Spencer nodded. Henry called Jack over to where he and his dad were kicking a ball around. Spencer nodded to Jack, who took off towards them. Garcia was deep in a discussion with Alex and JJ.

Spencer grabbed some olives off the table and watched the girls talk. There was a whole lot of glaring going on towards where Beth was trying to hold court with Morgan, Rossi and Hotch, except Hotch wasn’t apparently cooperating.

Jessica stepped closer to Spencer. “I have very briefly heard that you are the star of the week.”

Spencer gave Jessica a puzzled look.

“Jack’s brief speech about Disneyland, before he was told to wait till later –which, mind you, I am highly unhappy about –was full of Spencer. Beth was suspiciously absent.”

“Who told him to wait till later?”

“Beth. It was couched in terms like ‘darling boy’ and ‘sweet little angel’, but it was still pretty much an order to be quiet. He gave her quite the look too, and rolled his eyes at her. Of course, she also told him he was to not bug his dad and to let the grown-ups talk. After all, this was primarily a grown-up party.”

Spencer rolled his eyes and Jessica laughed.

“I now see where he got the look from.”

“Yes, well…I’d say ‘it was a long week’, but I think Jack and I enjoyed most of the week, so…” Spencer said.

“Maybe, it was a long week when it involved a certain female?” Jessica said.

Just as she finished her sentence, the heard a muffled scream from where the girls were standing and turned to watch as Garcia and Alex held JJ back from storming towards the men and Beth. Will and the boys were rushing towards the women.

“Good Lord, was it that bad?” Jessica asked.

Spencer smiled. “Well, I guess that depends on your definition of bad and if you liked Beth and wanted her as part of the family or not.”

“Well,” Jessica said, “truth be told, I haven’t been very fond of her for a while now. When a woman dates a man with a small child, they have to be prepared to want the whole package, including the child. I don’t think she really ever has. Dates have usually, even when originally planned to include Jack, ended up just her and Aaron…to make her happy. Not to mention it makes my life a bit hellish. I’ll be all ready to drop Jack off and go out myself, and Aaron will call to have me keep him because Beth didn’t want to go out with him after all.”

Spencer smiled. “You might find the week to actually be good, then. It was bad, but the outcome, I do believe will be good.”

“You didn’t grow to like her?” Jessica asked. “Morgan was sure you would.”

“I reached a whole new level of dislike for the woman, a whole new level. I think it is pretty much mutual. She doesn’t like me either. Of course, she didn’t from the start, so I guess all is fair.”

“So, what was all that,” Jessica pointed towards Garcia, Alex, JJ and Will who were all huddled again and had arms flying every which way.

“Well, Garcia is talking. She knows about the lack of Beth and Jack day Tuesday and bit about Friday, but enough about Friday to cause reactions like that… oh, and Wednesday was mentioned, and she knows about some of Saturday. Or she could have simply been talking about picking us up from the airport and the ride home.”

“We need to all do some sharing, don’t we?” Jessica said.

Spencer smiled. “We do. When are we going to eat, do you know?”

“Morgan said as soon as the meat on the grill was done. You should go ask Rossi or Morgan.”

Spencer looked to where Hotch was trying to move away from the death clutch Beth had on his arm and Morgan had his other arm and was holding him still within the group as well.

“Or do something.” Spencer said.

“Meanwhile, I’m going to go see if I can find out what that fuss over with the other group was about, or maybe see if I can’t get Jack to tell me more about his week.” Jessica said, walking towards the group of people over by Garcia.

Spencer walked over to where Hotch and Beth and Morgan and Rossi were standing.

“Hi guys, Jessica wanted to know if the meat was almost done yet.” Spencer said.

“What are you doing over here?” Beth drawled. “I am most certain no one invited you to speak with us.”

Spencer smiled at Beth, as he watched Rossi’s eyes widen and even Morgan’s face scowl a bit.

“I wasn’t aware I needed to be invited to speak with members of my team, Beth. However, I already stated what I was doing over here.”

“I was just about to go look at the grill. Hotch, why don’t you and Spencer come with me? I need to know how Jack and you guys like your meat anyway. I got responses from everyone else already.” Rossi said.

Beth clutched onto Hotch’s arm harder. “Oh, David dear, I’m certain Aaron doesn’t need to go with you.”

“Actually, Beth, he does. Why don’t you let go of his arm so he can come with me? Aren’t you glad you already told Derek all about how you like your meat cooked so you don’t have to move over by the smoke again?”

“Oh, yes. Grill smoke is just so unattractive a smell on a lady. But I love it when such strong men grill for me, so it is one of those things one must put up with, I guess. I’m just so glad you have such a wonderful big backyard so one doesn’t have to be anywhere nrtgggythhhhhhear the grill.”

Beth let go of Hotch’s arm, reluctantly, and started telling Morgan all about what she was doing next at work.

Rossi dragged Spencer and Hotch to where the grills were. He checked the meat, steaks all around and plain old hotdogs if the kids didn’t like their steaks or the others were still hungry and wanted more to eat.

“So?” Rossi asked.

Spencer and Hotch just looked at him.

“Would any one like to tell me what is going on?” Rossi asked again.

“What would you like to know?” Hotch asked.

“Let’s start with why Beth hasn’t let go of your arm since she managed to clutch onto it?” Rossi asked.

“Pet theory number one?” Spencer asked.

“I’ll listen to your theory and then I want Hotch’s.”

“My theory is that she figures as long as she keeps Hotch under her control, he can’t actually speak any facts about the vacation or what she did, therefore she keeps her pretty little image going for you and Morgan, who are the ones most encouraging Hotch to ignore certain undesirable behaviors in favor of her staying around. Which we need to have a talk about by the way, you and Morgan need to have the safety lecture we had to give to Jack.” Spencer said.

“Hotch?” Rossi prompted.

“I will actually go with Spencer’s theory here, and add that as long as she has me by the arm like that she knows that, in deference to not causing a scene at your house and respect for you, Garcia will not come to interrogate her about her actions this week. Possibly she also figures that Spencer will stay away, after the way she’s treated him, and therefore you’ll have only her version of everything.”

Rossi looked at Hotch.

“What the hell happened?” He asked.

“Which day?” Spencer asked.

“Enough happened each day that I need to ask which?” Rossi asked.

Hotch and Spencer nodded.

“Of course, I dismissed it until Wednesday, when Spencer called me on my behavior and I saw and had to recognize Beth’s.”

“Spencer? Call you out on how you were acting? Hotch, what the heck did you do?” Rossi asked.

“I nearly blew off most of Daddy and Jack day, because Beth lied to me and whined to get her way and manipulated me to get her way.” Hotch said. “The habit of doing things her way has become so ingrained I almost told Spencer he was imagining it. Except, he made me look at her actions and mine and even had photographic proof and I realized he was right.”

“Why would she do that?” Rossi asked.

“What? Lie?” Spencer asked.

“What else did she do?”

“You know how there was supposed to be Beth and Jack day? She ditched. She called and gave me five minutes to get Jack, threatened to leave him in the room alone all day, at least it sounded that way to me. Five minutes. She wouldn’t even give me enough time to finish my shower. That was on Beth and Jack day.”

“She lied about Beth and Jack day. She told me she’d taken Jack all day and that Jack had acted up, been a little monster. Ran away from her, talked back to her, whined and begged, refused to ride the rides she wanted to, tossed tantrums about riding ones she didn’t want to ride. Made her miserable racing after him as he was out of control the whole day. She made me feel so guilty about leaving him with her, that when she suggested I spend Wednesday morning with her and go do the really expensive couples massage and breakfast she booked for us with her own hard earned money, I agreed. She said two hours. I promised Jack I’d be those two hours and then be with him. I called Spencer to come get Jack and told them I’d be to them by 10am, Jack would only miss an hour of Dad and Jack day. Rossi, neither even complained about that. Spencer didn’t call until I’d spent almost an extra hour with Beth, and hadn’t called them at all to tell them I was running late. I let my son and Spencer worry for almost an hour, because I listened to Beth who insisted that calling would be a personal affront to her and be telling her how little I appreciated her and the hard earned cash she spent on giving me such a wonderful break from my stress and problems. About a half hour into massage, breakfast was finger food we ate while getting the first part of the massage mind you, not filling and not the best idea, she told me that she had booked four hours and then she wanted me to take her out to this very exclusive restaurant for lunch and we might have had to wait an hour or more for a seat, because she didn’t get reservations. Oh, and that Jack wouldn’t mind if I didn’t show up until the four hours and expensive lunch with her later. Those extra two hours and lunch were simply supposed to be a surprise, not lying about how long I’d really be gone.”

“Mind you, her whole day at the spa was paid for by Garcia, Alex, JJ and Jessica, from 8am to 8pm, and they paid a whole lot of money to give her the best package. Including the best breakfast, lunch and dinner offered.”

“Well, maybe she meant well?”

“With the massage? Maybe. But lying about being with Jack the day before?” Spencer asked.

“Well.”

“She threatened him, Rossi. She told Jack that if he told Hotch that he hadn’t spent the day with her, but instead spent the day with me, that she would make him pay. Now, she didn’t tell Jack how she would do that, nor has she let it slip to me, but still. She told him at another point in the day that if he said anything other than ‘I had fun’, he’d be sorry.” Spencer said. “She scared him.”

“All right. I guess that was uncalled for.”

“Rossi, that was just Tuesday and Wednesday morning.” Hotch said.

“Monday wasn’t much better.” Spencer said.

“And that doesn’t even cover Thursday and Friday and Saturday.” Hotch said. Rossi and Spencer noticed the twinge he made as he spoke those days.

“Or the plane rides.” Spencer said.

“Was it really that bad?” Rossi asked.

“Tell Garcia she is allowed to tell you all about what I had her looking up for me and about Friday night. I know she will be very happy to share.” Hotch said.

Rossi peeked again inside the grills. “After dinner and after Jack opened his gifts. I have a feeling my appetite is going to suffer. What did she get Jack for his birthday, anyway?”

“Nothing.” Spencer said.

“She was telling Derek and me all about how much Jack loved his gifts from her earlier.” Rossi said.

“Yes, well, she didn’t buy him a thing.” Hotch said. “She came to the Birthday lunch fifteen minutes late and then caused a scene at the restaurant. That was Jack’s presents I guess.”

“Let’s gather everyone to eat. Maybe after gifts we should get Jack to tell us all about his trip.” Rossi said.

Rossi called everyone to the long tables set up across from the table with the food on it and told everyone to start digging in. Will gathered the two boys and Hotch left to go help Jack with his plate.

“Did Jack have a good time at least?” Rossi asked.

“Of course he did.” Spencer said. “Jack was determined to have a wonderful family vacation and I did my absolute best to insure that he had one as well. We had a great time.”

“You spent a lot of time with him?” Rossi asked.

“I spent a significant amount of time with Jack every single day for the last week.”

Rossi nodded. He flipped open his phone as Spencer went to get his food. Spencer had a feeling he was texting Garcia about Friday.


	22. chapter 22

Dinner was interesting. Beth was …well, something. Spencer wasn’t sure what. She had re-latched onto Hotch, refusing to let go even long enough for Hotch to eat. She had even run her fingers up Will’s arm, right before grabbing Hotch’s. JJ was still being restrained by Garcia, and Alex. Jack and Henry were sitting at the end of the table, with Will, who’d retreated to them after Beth touched him, and Jess. Spencer had tried twice to get down to them, but Beth had nearly tripped him the first time and Morgan prevented it the second time, telling him to sit down by them and explain what the women’s problem was at the other end of the table. Spencer had sat.

“I hadn’t noticed the ‘women’ had a problem.” Spencer said. “I might just tell them you referred to them as ‘the women’ though. Too bad Emily isn’t here because she would have taken you down if she’d heard that.” Spencer said.

“Now, now, I know you wouldn’t do that, Pretty Boy.” Derek said. “I just wanted to know what has my baby girl all acting like she has a bee under her bonnet. No need to make it worse.”

“Maybe later, Derek.” Spencer said. “I am sure…”

Beth spoke loudly, enough to cover Spencer’s.

“This steak is very nicely done, Mr. Rossi. Of course, I expected something Italian; after all I’ve heard about how great a cook you are. I am impressed that baked potatoes are being served as well, since we are eating outside like this. It is rather unusual; I can’t imagine whose idea it could be. Although, really, they are a much better match to good steak than coleslaw is. I just can’t understand why anyone would bring that if they knew you were grilling steak. And what is that green stuff? It looks positively repulsive. My god! Are there chunks of cookie in this salad? Revolting. I guess not everyone can have refined tastes. Oh, we had some splendid meals in California. Of course, Spencer wouldn’t know what I was talking about, he spent all that time chasing around with his… friends…and who really knows what they did.”

“We had lovely times together at Disneyland, for the most part. Who is the ‘we’ who had the lovely meals anyway? I know Hotch and Jack and I ate well…once or twice with one or another of those friends of mine.”

“Yes,” Hotch said. “I think my best meal of the whole week, though, might just have been those sandwiches from Calisto’s shop.”

“They beat out your dinner at the conference?” Spencer asked.

“If they didn’t beat it, they came really darn close.” Hotch said.

“I’ll have to tell Calisto and Calliope that. I am just sad you didn’t get to experience the fries to go with them.”

“I meant to ask about that, why wouldn’t she let you eat fries too many days in a row?” Hotch asked.

“It’s more how I fix them. Calliope puts together this heavenly garlic butter which she melts to a dipping sauce. I saturate my fries in that, and then dip them in spicy ketchup.”

“You do what?”

“I saturate…”

“I heard you, but that cannot be healthy.”

“Hence the reason Calliope and Calisto won’t let me eat them often. To my defense though, when I started eating them that way, people were trying to fatten me up.” Spencer said.

Beth huffed. “Anyway,” Beth started, louder than Hotch and Spencer had been talking. “As I was saying, we had some lovely meals in California. We would have had better meals, of course, but it’s so hard to eat as adults and feed children at the same time, don’t you think? I know trying to feed Jack was simply so difficult. Some people didn’t help at all. Not even that park did it right, and you would think that someplace that says they are geared towards families and small children would get at least that right. Of course they do not share MY concern over the child. Still, I simply must try and make some effort. What did you fix for young Jack and that smaller one, Mr. Rossi?”

“Umm, steak and baked potatoes and salads.” Rossi answered, looking down where Jack and Henry were happily eating their steaks, just fine.

“Mr. Rossi! For shame! I thought for sure a man of your education and caliber would agree with me on the feeding of children. Of course, no one else seems to care. Those poor children.”

“Hey Jack!” Spencer leaned back and yelled down the table. “How’s dinner?”

“It’s great! My steak is just how I like it. Thanks, Uncle Dave!”

“Seems he is doing just fine.” Spencer said.

“What would you know, you idiot!” Beth snapped.

Spencer just smiled at Beth then he turned to address the rest of those who were sitting nearby. “Jack ate just fine on our vacation. I find it very admirable that he has such a varied diet and that he finds joy in eating with us and engaging in conversation and behaving so politely while eating. He enjoyed kabobs just as much as he enjoyed the wieners. He had a blast at breakfast during Spencer and Jack day. He was always polite while he waited for others to finish.”

Hotch smiled.

“How many meals did you eat with Jack, Spencer?” Asked Rossi.

“Three Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, two Wednesday and we had dessert together on Friday.” Spencer said.

“You didn’t eat with Jack on Tuesday,” Morgan said. “Beth had Jack all day.”

“Morgan, believe me, this is not a topic for dinner.” Spencer said. “But I would like to inform you that you will be joining Rossi for a talk about safety issues at some point this evening.”

“Why don’t we just stop all this silly talk about feeding the kid anyway? How we got onto the child when we could be talking about something else is beyond me.” Beth said. “We could talk about my favorite places to shop while we were in California and Aaron could tell you all what a wonderful time we had while I went shopping.”

“No, Aaron could not.” Hotch said. 

Beth squeezed his arm harder till Hotch flinched and the conversation died down. Rossi and Spencer briefly tried to discuss places Spencer had taken Henry that they had enjoyed, but Beth didn’t want to hear it (“What could any of us adults possibly gain from learning which geeky places you’ve taken small children, probably corrupting them?”) and Rossi and Hotch attempted to talk about the soccer season (“Isn’t it bad enough two grown professional men wasted a whole season on this stupid topic in the first place, for all the is good and holy, none of us want to ever hear more of it again, let alone now!”).

She and Morgan briefly talked about what type of clubs were best to frequent, especially with jobs like the team had, but Beth got upset when Hotch said he really preferred just a nice sit down restaurant or if they were out for something different than that someplace with darts and pool tables or maybe even a sports bar type place where they could sit and watch a game. 

“Where is the fun in that?” Beth whined. “It’s the dancing and being seen that is important.”

“Oh,” Hotch had replied. “I thought the point was to go somewhere where you could have fun with friends. I find that easier to do playing darts or watching a game than somewhere I can’t hear who I’m with.”

“I find both venues have a place,” Derek said. “If I’m just wanting to relax and be with my buddies and team, I agree that someplace like Hotch prefers is better. If I want to have fun and end up with a little something something at the end of it, a club is definitely where I want to be.”

“Oh, yes,” Beth said. “A club is the place to ignite an evening of pleasures. Much better that a sports bar. Mr. Rossi, what type of place do you like to go? I bet you are just all over the club scene.”

“Flashing lights and loud music and pseudo sex on the dance floor?” Rossi snorted. “No. I like class. I like my clubs to have quieter music and an air of seduction and serve good alcohol. The more plush the surroundings the better. It should have music one can really dance to, maybe even a live band. Spencer?”

“Why ask him?” Beth said. “I’m certain he’s never been to any of them, of any description.”

“Now, I know…”Morgan started but Spencer held his hand up.

“Oddly enough,” He started. “I find what I prefer tends to correspond with my purpose, my companionship, and my endeavors. I find that I tend to be able to enjoy most venues to a certain magnitude, although I have a sensitivity to certain types, or rather colors, of flashing lights and so may employ a reduced quantity of time in settings where that might be an issue.”

“And what is that even supposed to mean?” Beth hissed.

“It means what I enjoy depends on the circumstances.” Spencer said.

“Ha.” Beth replied. “Like you have ever even had ‘circumstances’ to be anywhere.”

“Hey now, we take him out with us all the time.” Morgan said.

“Why would you do that?” Beth asked.

“When we go out as a team, Beth,” Hotch said. “We include the whole team. That means each of the people we work with every day.”

“Well,” Beth said. “You should probably just go out with people who you need to be seen with. Maybe you should invite someone more important next time instead. Not your boss, but her boss…someone you could make the right connections with. It would do you more good.”

Spencer tried another time to get up and move, get down to where Will and Jess seemed to be having an enjoyable meal with the two boys, but Rossi stopped him.

“Why?” Spencer hissed quietly to Rossi. “Do you want me to have to rely on TUMS all night because of the indigestion I am suffering due to the company?”

“Just stay,” Rossi said. “I am finding this to be very revealing.”

Spencer glared.

Alex and Garcia and JJ slid closer to the rest of them. Rossi did allow Spencer to slide a bit closer to them and then Rossi slid so he was close to both groups.

“Garcia says that your Mr. Reuben was very nice.” JJ said.

“Mr. Reuben is actually Mr. Kriegsman. Reuben is his first name, but it is what I’ve called him since we met back when I was 14. He is rather wonderful though. He does very well at his job.”

“His job?”

“Reuben is a Mathematics professor and he and his wife have always been in charge of special cases. He mentors them and keeps track of them and helps them out and takes care of them. I was his responsibility, to a certain extent, for pretty much the whole time I was at CalTech. It wasn’t an easy job, I’m sure.”

Jack and Henry came running over before the girls could ask more questions.

“Momma,” Henry shouted. “Unca Pence dot me pwesents, and Jack did too. I det dem today?”

“I don’t know, baby. We’ll have to ask Uncle Spencer.” JJ said.

“Please, Spencer.” Jack said. It was almost a whine. Beth glared and pulled on Hotch’s arm, pointing to Jack.

“See!” Spencer heard Beth hiss.

Jack continued though, “If Henry got some of his souvenirs then he wouldn’t have to be sad when I open my birthday presents, because he might be sad because it’s not really my birthday.”

Hotch smiled proudly and Garcia and Alex both actually went “Awwww”.

“I could find some of his if you’d like me to, JJ. Even if it was just the items from Jack and just a little bit of what is from me.”

“A little bit from you? Spencer!” JJ scolded.

“Hey, my lack of restraint while shopping this trip was entirely your fault, well yours and Garcia’s. You two and those lists!”

“They sent you with lists?” Alex said.

“Oh yeah.”

Jack laughed. “It was fun!”

“I wanna do soppin’ wif yists.” Henry said. “Pwease, pwease.”

Spencer laughed.

“I’ll send you and your mommy out a with a list like I gave Uncle Spencer next time I need things to send to someone, sound like a plan Henry?” Garcia said.

“Yes!”

“So JJ?” Spencer asked.

“Yeah, that would be nice. But you all do know Henry wouldn’t have been upset by Jack opening his birthday presents, right? We have explained it to him that sometimes it is his turn and sometime it is other’s turns.” JJ said.

Spencer nodded. “Jack has been concerned recently, due to some people’s attitudes and what they say, that others will feel bad if he gets things.” Spencer sent a glare towards Beth. She was luckily turned and not looking at them after Hotch saw a moment to be proud of his son and not his son acting poorly. Rossi noticed it though.

Spencer stood, and caught the keys Garcia threw to him. “Hotch, do you want me to grab any of the bags from you?” Spencer called.

“You got them something?” Beth hissed.

“Are we pulling out all the souvenirs?” Hotch asked, ignoring Beth.

“You got Them Something?” Beth asked louder, pulling on Hotch’s arm.

“No, we are just pulling out a few things for Henry. Jack wants to give Henry the things from him and I thought I’d pull out a few things, but save some for later when I pull out souvenirs.”

“Don’t worry about things from me then, we’ll have a dinner at my place sometime this week and give out souvenirs then.”

“You Got Them Something!?” Beth shouted pulling Hotch’s arm hard enough to pull him off balance. Will and Jess headed down to join them when they heard Beth’s shout.

Hotch turned to her and physically removed her hand from his arm. “Yes, I bought souvenirs for my team and family.”

“But I didn’t agree to this. Did I at any point tell you this was acceptable?”

“Do you have a say?” Hotch asked. “I can buy gifts for whoever I want to.”

Beth looked up and saw everyone staring at her. “But Aaron, darling, you really should ask your significant other about spending senselessly, so they can advise you properly.”

“Really?” Hotch asked. “Maybe you should have considered that say…Thursday and Friday and even Wednesday.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. You aren’t still upset about all that are you?” 

“I am and I will be until it is fixed.” Hotch said.

“All what?” Derek asked.

Spencer would be the first to admit he was looking on with glee in hope Hotch would tell, but before Hotch said anything Beth spoke.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a misunderstanding.” Beth said.

“Misunderstanding my foot.” Garcia said quietly, but not too quietly. 

Beth glared at Garcia, and then at Spencer for good measure. 

Spencer sighed. “I’m going to go get that stuff.”

“Oh, Auntie Penny, you should go with him and he could show you his quilts!” Jack said.

“Why did you buy a quilt?” Alex asked.

Jack giggled. “He didn’t buy them he…”

“Thank You, Jack!” Spencer said loudly.

“Oh, there’s a secret there!” Garcia squealed and Jack got a worried look.

Spencer immediately dropped down to his knees and put his arm over Jack’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s ok. Remember, I will never ask you to keep something, anything, from your trusted adults. Remember our new safety rule?”

Jack nodded.

“It will be fine.”

Jack looked around at who would have heard him and frowned. “No, I think I will share later.” He leaned closer to Spencer and hugged him and whispered, “I don’t want people to tease you.”

Spencer smiled. “Now, if anyone does want to come with me, it will be fine. Rossi, I’m going to grab that sack the wine came in, if you don’t mind.”

Rossi nodded. “Would it be an issue if I came with you?”

“Not at all. Anyone else?”

Jess nodded and the rest said they stay and clean up the dinner and get ready to play some games. Henry and Jack jumped and cheered. They both offered to help and JJ and Will had walked as far as Rossi’s kitchen with those heading to the vehicles, so they could get garbage bags for the young boys to hold.

“A new safety rule?” Jess asked as they walked to the front door and the cars.

“It is a very simply one. His new rules states: ‘When an adult asks you to keep a secret from one of your trusted adults, never do so. Especially when it’s a secret about something that made you feel bad or uncomfortable, or where you were touched. Even if they threaten you. It is not good to lie about what happened to those who care about you, ever.’. We had an issue with someone telling Jack not to tell us things.”

“Beth?” asked Jess.

Spencer nodded.

“Is this what the lecture to me and Morgan is going to be about?” Rossi asked.

“Yes,” Spencer said. “Jack was really hurt and confused when you guys prevented Jessica from telling Hotch that Jack had indeed called Beth for that end of soccer pot-luck.”

Rossi nodded. “I can see how he thought it was the same thing.”

“He didn’t, I don’t think, but he saw enough similarities to ask about if you two were right in your actions. I said you weren’t, sorry.”

“No, it didn’t set a good example at all. You were right.”

They reached the SUV Garcia had brought them from the airport in. Spencer opened the back and looked. 

“Hmm, Rossi, would you mind removing those large flowery monstrosities? It will be best if I never touch those.”

Rossi looked at Spencer with a question in his face but did as Spencer asked. Spencer pulled out the smaller sized paint splattered suitcase. He unlocked it and folded the quilt back to get to the packages.

“Oh, that is gorgeous.” Jessica said, kneeling beside Spencer to look more closely at the quilt. “It’s hand quilted. Is it hand pieced?”

“No. I did the piecing on a machine.” Spencer said, off handed.

“You did it?” Rossi asked.

Spencer blushed. “Umm, yeah. I’m sure Jack will tell you the story later. He decided not to share it when people who would tease me are around.”

Jessica smiled.

Spencer pulled out Jack’s animals to Henry, and then tucked a few items from his own bags into the sack the wines had come from.

He resettled everything and zipped and locked the suitcase.

“Did I see a package with my name on it in there?” Jessica asked.

“Of course,” Spencer said. “You and Garcia worked so hard to put this all together for us and I couldn’t let you go unappreciated.”

Jessica smiled.

They put everything back into the SUV and headed back to the yard. Spencer pulled out his camera from his satchel and started to take photos of Jack’s birthday party. Beth complained, to pretty much anyone she could corner.


	23. chapter 23

Everyone was nearly ready to move to the next items of business. Jack and Henry decided they wanted to play games before opening presents and soon most everyone was playing pin-the-tail –on-the-donkey, musical chairs, balloon surprise pop (the balloons each had things like tickets to the movies or swim passes or little coupons that all could use like ‘good for one outing where owner likes’ and the team all agreed to honor them, Jessica was pleased as can be her idea worked and Hotch worked with such a great team) and searching in a wading pool filled with gravel for treasures. Beth was the only one who refused to participate. Garcia and Spencer both caught the whole game playing on film, putting their cameras away only when it was their turns to play. Beth complained to Morgan about the amount of picture taking while they were playing games. Rossi heard about the lack of dignity being shown by everyone.

After finding treasures (which Rossi said weren’t all found and he’d pack the whole lot up and bring it to the next gathering that could be held outdoors), they went back to eat cake and open presents. Beth thought the entire set up was ridiculous and a silly waste of time, space and money, especially for a man of Rossi’s caliber. This was told to Alex. Will got to hear about the folly of the team in catering to a child like they were. Everyone, except for Beth, teased Rossi about the cake, which he’d apparently paid a ridiculous amount for, and teased each other about the moans as they bit into it. Beth just glared at everyone and turned her nose into the air, refusing to have a piece (while she could be seen –Garcia reports she saw Beth eating cake later). Jack even fluttered his eyes, and Hotch told Spencer that that reaction was his fault. JJ, however, was privileged to hear all about how scandalous it was to have purchased such a cake for a child’s birthday and Jessica got the complaint about how horribly bad for Jack a cake of that type was going to be, since it obviously wasn’t make for a child, really. Rossi didn’t hear complaints about his treasure hunt or the cake, of course. He heard praises about how wonderful he was to have put the treasure pool together and how wouldn’t he have rather bought such a spectacular cake for a better purpose and that if he were to do so at a future date, would he make sure to ask her the color scheme beforehand because that of the cake he had bought was just not right for any occasion adults were attending.

Spencer handed his camera over to Jessica, after a very quick lesson on how to use it and setting it to a happy automatic setting, and picked Henry up and set him on his lap near Jack while Jack opened presents. The adults were all sitting on benches watching. Garcia got Jack jeans, to go with all his new tops. Jessica got him dress pants, a nice button down shirt and a nice sweater, so he’d have something to wear if he ever needed nicer clothing. Hotch blushed at the reminder, he knew Jack hadn’t had new ‘nice’ clothing in a while. His excuse was Jack’s school had a dress code and the clothing for it worked in a pinch. Beth sat in the middle of the adults and complained first to Morgan (Why is he holding that child? How could that child’s mother and father just let him hog all the child’s attention all the time?”) and then to Rossi (“What on earth gave those women the right to dare buy clothing for Aaron’s child? That is way to intimate a gift for practical strangers to be buying for a child. The child’s parents should be the only ones to have a say on what the child wears, eats, sees, does, learns, goes, meets, and everything else, except his teachers of course.” ). She got up and moved when Rossi snorted at her complaint. She sat down by Hotch and Garcia, and complained to Hotch about how he should have put a stop to silliness of his team giving his child gifts long ago. (“It’s just fine to give gifts at a baby shower, because well those gifts are really given to the adult, for the baby and it saves bundles, I’m told. And maybe for a first birthday but after that adults should save and spend their money on other adults, where it really counts.”) Jack had moved onto the set of three packages in the same paper. JJ and Will and Henry got him some books. Both Garcia and Hotch were the ones to get to hear “who on earth give a child books? How silly.” Rossi got him piano lessons for a year, and a keyboard to practice on and Beth quietly asked Garcia how much she thought that had cost, before adding that an instrument in the home did make a family look like a higher class of people, though, so it wasn’t all bad. Alex bought him a child’s watch and Morgan bought him tickets to go to a basketball game. Beth didn’t comment on either, though, because Hotch had said enough was enough and she was pouting. Spencer, who was sitting facing the whole crew, thought of how incredibly naive Beth was to not have realized he and the kids at least saw and heard everything she said. 

“That it?” Asked Spencer, who couldn’t see the top of the table the gifts had been sitting on. He hadn’t really thought there would be another, but he’d still rather hoped.

“Emily sent a gift but I left it at the office.” Garcia said. “It’s in a box with a bunch of other things.”

“His grandparents sent theirs out late. They are in Florida and so it should be here Tuesday or Wednesday.” Jessica said. “They said they also included some things from the beach there.”

“Then it is Henry’s turn!” Jack shouted.

Henry pulled out his items and thanked Jack for the stuffed critters with a hug. He gave Spencer a hug, too. Spencer had brought in the coloring books and crayons, cars and two of the little toys he’d bought for Henry. Henry took his things to where Jack had been sitting and the two started looking at the piles together. Then came the inevitable question.

“Jack,” Morgan asked, “What else did you get for your Birthday?”

Jack smiled. “Daddy got me some Buzz Lightyear stuff and a jacket and my Mickey in a Birthday hat pin and vinylmations but we haven’t even opened those yet, and Spencer mixed Spencer and Jack day mementos and birthday gifts. I got some cool star wars stuff and vinylmations and some Buzz stuff and t-shirts and some other stuff.”

“He spoiled him, that’s what he did,” hissed Beth.

Spencer just smiled at her. “I did. I was partly under orders to do so, though.”

“There was no partly about it!” Garcia said. “You were under definite orders to make my baby G-man’s birthday spectacular!”

“What did Beth get you?” asked Rossi.

Jack’s face stopped beaming smiles. He looked to his dad, who shrugged and to Spencer who also shrugged. Spencer was certain Jack realized they were leaving it up to him about what to do. He looked at Beth, who was glaring at him.

“She didn’t get me anything.”

Everyone looked at Beth. Spencer waited, trying to figure out which way she was going to go with her excuses. She chose the stupidest response Spencer thought she could have.

“Of course I did, don’t you remember?”

“What did you get me then?” Jack asked.

“That big toy. Surely you remember now. It isn’t nice to lie about this, Jack.”

“I’m not lying. What big toy?” Jack asked, seriously confused.

“Aaron, tell them. You remember? The big toy?”

“I don’t, did you forget to give it to him?”

“No.” Beth huffed. Then she started to sniffle and her eyes got all teary. “I can’t believe you are doing this to me, making me look bad in front of all your co-workers. How could you? Why would you lie like this?”

“We’re not lying, Beth.” Jack said. 

“If you told them what you mean, maybe they would remember?” Morgan said. “Or you’d remember not getting it to Jack yet.”

Tears rolled down Beth’s cheeks, “I did give it to him; they are just being mean.”

“How about when then?” Rossi asked.

“I left the park early on Friday so I could go back to the hotel and pick it up. I gave it to him at lunch. The present was big and wrapped and everyone who watched me carry it to the place lunch was at smiled at me. I got there early and Jack squealed when he got there because it was so big.”

Garcia and Hotch and Jack looked at Beth stunned. Spencer snorted. 

“Don’t you even start, you freak.” Beth turned to Spencer. “You weren’t there. You skipped out on his birthday all together. It’s all your fault anyway. From the start, you made sure that Jack only liked you. You probably stole it.”

“Like I have pointed out to everyone, whenever that topic has come up, I have kept all my receipts Beth, and Hotch and Jack kept theirs. I can prove I have nothing that I did not purchase or that Hotch or Jack did not purchase.”

“Ah ha, you didn’t say you were there though? Therefore you can’t know anything.” Beth said.

“I wouldn’t say I was there, anyway. I did not ‘skip’ out, though. I do take offense to that word. I was working.” Spencer said.

“No, you were off playing instead of doing you real job! I know it!”

“Can you offer up proof?” Spencer said. “Heck, can you offer up proof for any of your claims?”

“Aaron, how can you let him speak to me that way? Don’t you love me? If you loved me you would fire him, or demote him, or something.” Beth turned to Hotch.

Everyone’s eyes got big when she said that.

“Beth, really?” Hotch said.

“If you loved…”

Hotch sighed. “And here I thought we were mostly adults here.”

Henry leaned over to Jack and whispered loudly, “So did see det ya a pwesent or not?”

Jack whispered back “She didn’t, at least not one I ever saw.”

Beth spun around to the kids.

“You little lying monster. I thought I had you finally convinced things were how and what I said.” 

Jack pulled Henry behind him and looked at Beth. “No. I have people who love me and they will listen to me and believe me because I am their Jack, and …and…and they will come get when I need them and they are profilers! After listening to me they will look for the truth. Spencer and Auntie Penny and Daddy, they will get the facts and the patterns and proof and will know I am right.”

Henry ducked out from behind Jack. “Yeah, and my mommy and daddy will too.”

Spencer would later admit Rossi did indeed see a fist punch when Jack stood up like that to Beth.

Spencer figured that Beth would have taken Jack’s speech as a sign that she ought to back down. After all, a seven year old just called her out on her behavior, can one even get a bigger sign that maybe one needs to count ones losses and stop? She didn’t.

“Aaron,” Beth turned to him, “Are you going to let your son speak to me like that?”

“You know what Beth? I am.” Hotch said.

Beth screeched in anger and spun around to stomp off. She sat down at the far end at the tables they ate dinner on and cross her arms over her chest and pouted.

Jack had moved over to Spencer. “Spencer, what about Aunt Jess?”

“What about Aunt Jess?” Spencer asked, not sure what Jack was thinking about.

“She loves me and would listen to me, but she’s not a profiler. How will she KNOW I’m right?”

Spencer smiled up to Jess. “She’s your Aunt. I bet that Aunt Jess is like my mommy, and my mommy always knows. I don’t know how, but she just does. And if Aunt Jess thought she needed proof, she knows she could come to any of us and we would help her if she couldn’t get it on her own.”

Jack looked up to his Aunt. “Really?”

Aunt Jess nodded. “Really. I’d do it just like Spencer said.”

Jack was back to smiles and he and Henry moved back to their loot.

It was Morgan who wasn’t quite ready to release his belief in Beth yet, but Spencer figured that was because it was Morgan she had called the day before and talked to and kept close enough to not have heard anything else about the vacation yet.

“How is either side going to prove anything?” Morgan asked. “At least about the gift.”

“I have an idea, but you’ll have to keep in mind Beth’s whole story.”

“But you hate her.” Morgan said.

Spencer pondered how to answer that, because he really was seriously close to doing so.

“I actually haven’t decided on that, however I care about Hotch and Jack. Besides, how could looking at photos from our trip give a biased story? Well, too biased a story. Especially if you look at only those from Hotch and Jack’s cameras from Friday?”

“We could all go look at them. I can hook up the laptop to the TV and we could watch a week in review. And hear all about their vacation.” Rossi said.

“I’ll have to go out and get my camera bag; it has the other cameras in it. Hotch do you have your and Jack’s cameras?”

“Mine are in my briefcase and Jack’s is in his bag. My briefcase is in the car.”

Spencer headed to the car to grab what he needed, Rossi coming out with him and once again moving Beth’s bags. Spencer pulled out the big green splotchy suitcase and fished out his camera bag. He grabbed Hotch’s briefcase.

“There is a story behind these suitcases isn’t there?” Rossi asked, as they were putting things back in, again.

Spencer blushed. “When I was young, I decided to paint the walls inside…in the halls and my room. This was the only color I could afford that fit in with the ‘peace’ spectrum. However, I never thought about, or read about, painting slatted doors, like those of our closets. Luckily these suitcases were what was in the front of the closet.”

Rossi laughed. 

“Let’s go get set up.”

Rossi led Spencer into his entertainment room, and Spencer set up his laptop and popped the photo cards from his cameras, setting them downloading while everyone started to come in. Hotch came over with Jack’s camera and then fetched both his from the briefcase, and Spencer set those photos downloading as well.

Beth had come in the room and was sitting on the leather loveseat, in the middle, by herself, arms crossed and a scowl on her face. Spencer had expected her to demand to be taken home before looking at photos. Surely she realized her tale of the way of things were would not be able to be validated.

Henry was sitting on the floor with one of the coloring books and some crayons, coloring. Jack was sitting beside him looking at one of the books from JJ and family. Spencer had finished downloading all his photos and was working on Jacks by the time Rossi had got the computer linked to the TV and everyone else was trying to find places to sit. Luckily Rossi had outfitted the room for doing things together as a team, and his family’s gatherings. JJ, Will and Alex had taken one of the sofas, with Hotch, Jess and Garcia on the other. Spencer was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table that the laptop was sitting on and Morgan had snagged the recliner. Rossi pulled up a chair behind Spencer, in case he had to do fiddle with something during the photo presentation.

“Where do we want to start?” Spencer said, switching Jack’s card for one of Hotch’s. The card he picked went fast, and Spencer switched again.

“Jack’s Birthday,” Morgan said. “We’ll start there and then we’ll go to other pictures.”

Spencer nodded and opened the file that showed the photos. He quickly found the photos from Friday from all three cameras. 

“Whose photos first?” Spencer asked.

“The kid’s.” Beth said.

Spencer smirked. “Are you sure?”

“Of course, if we can even tell what the photos are of.”

Spencer opened Jack’s Friday Photos into slide show mode and they started. Not all the photos were in great focus and a very few were missing heads, or not well composed. But Jack took pretty good photos, and some were excellent. There were photos of Hotch and the Train, and the train itself and ones of the Dino’s that were pretty good considering. There were pictures from Toontown, many with Hotch in them and some pictures that Spencer wished he’d have thought of, like the fish in the gas tanks, Hotch in the Autopia line and the sign and people getting into the cars, the monorail car and Hotch and the conductor guy talking. There were pictures of the submarines, and then pictures which Jack said were from that line, of different spots on the ground and in the flower bed. Jack perked up when he saw those. 

“Do you see blood in any of them?” Jack asked.

“Blood?” Garcia said.

“Yeah, from my object lesson that I met.” Jack said.

“Object lesson? How do you meet an object lesson?” Alex asked.

“He met a kid about his age that had been swinging or hanging or something on the railing while waiting in line and fell and cracked his head open.” Hotch explained.

“Ah.” Alex said.

“We’ll have to look more closely later.” Spencer said.

The next pictures were of Hotch in the Star Tours line, and the droids and other parts of the line and then pictures taken from far away of the Jedi training. There were picture of the bus and Hotch, the Mickey Pumpkin, the fire engine and Hotch, Walt and Mickey and all the little statues and the pumpkins. Then came the ones of the Inn, and Hotch - And their table and their lunch and the bags with Jack’s presents in them, and finally Beth showed up in a photo. Then came pictures of the cake and Mickey and Minnie and then a whole section of different small details.

“Those were outside the Plaza Inn, while I was waiting for Daddy.”

“Where’s Mickey’s doggie?” Henry asked.

“He wasn’t at lunch but there’s a picture with him and Daddy together.” Jack said. “And Daddy and Buzz.”

“Weally?”

Jack nodded. Henry went back to coloring.

Spencer paused the slide show. He looked at Morgan, who was looking at Beth.

“What?” She said. “See I was at lunch and he wasn’t.”

“And that was never the question.” Spencer said.

“Well, he just didn’t bother taking a photo of my present. He doesn’t like me, you know.”

“I wonder why.” Garcia whispered rather loudly form her spot. 

“Morgan, what was Beth’s whole story? Do you remember everything she’s told you about the whole birthday bit?”

“Yeah. When she called she was all upset because everyone was mad because she didn’t get the perfect present for Jack. She didn’t get the right one.”

“Has she yet said what she didn’t get the right one of?”

Morgan shrugged.

“And today?” Spencer continued.

“She left the park early and carried back a huge big package. She was waiting for them at lunch and Jack squealed when he saw it.”

“Did you see any evidence of her being at the park?” Spencer said.

“Well, no.”

“Her being there when Jack walked into his lunch?”

“No.”

Spencer said nothing more. 

“The rest of Jack’s photos for the day or Hotch’s until lunch?” Rossi asked.

“Hotch’s until lunch.” JJ answered. Henry and Jack had moved when it was decided to look at Hotch’s photos. They could still see, but weren’t front and center any more. Jack had taken the cars out of his bag and they were pushing them over the floors to see how far they would go. Henry’s were in JJ’s purse.

Spencer loaded Hotch’s Friday photos. He didn’t have as many as Jack and some were pretty much the same. He had some of Jack on the train and one of the conductor leaning on the side of the train. He had Jack sitting on the edge of the fountain in Toontown. There were some shots from the monorail platform, some of Jack waiting. Hotch took photos from inside the submarines. There was a pretty good photo of Darth Vader in the smoke from the Jedi show. There were pictures of Jack taking photos at the pumpkin, and a picture of the Mickey pumpkin. There was a picture of Jack looking really closely to the small statues and bending down to read the quote at the base of the Mickey and Walt statue.

There were a few pictures of Jack at lunch. Only in the last one had Beth in it and no gift was seen.

“He used his other camera.” Beth said.

“Not on Friday. His other camera had pictures from Wednesday and Thursday night. And some from Saturday. Rossi can check.”

Spencer leaned back and Rossi checked.

“He was mad at me so didn’t take pictures of me.” Beth said.

“Why was he mad Beth? You told Morgan he wasn’t mad until after gift giving, why would he be mad beforehand?” Spencer asked.

Rossi, who was still looking over Spencer’s shoulder at the different files for the days, went to click on Jack’s Tuesday file. Spencer swatted his hand. “Not Now!”

“Oh, you had better bet we are getting to those. I want to see if what I think I’m seeing is right.” Rossi said.

“Oh, just concentrate!” Spencer hissed. 

Rossi leaned back and nodded, and looked at Beth.

“I don’t know. He just was. Maybe because you poisoned him against me. You and your unnatural friends and your insistence that you have to get your way and always be given what you want and always be right.” Beth said before she burst into tears.

“What makes him unnatural?” Alex asked, confused.

“He’s a freak. Can’t you see? And all his friends are freaks as well, that is clear. Every time Jack would meet up with one, he’d come back with stories of how freaky they all were.”

“That raises a good question, though.” Said Jess. “I happen to have written down what they were all doing each day, in case it was needed in an emergency. Spencer said he was meeting up with friends on days Jack wasn’t even supposed to be with him. He was meeting with a friend in the park on Tuesday, which was a day you were supposed to spend with Jack, and Wednesday, which was a day Aaron was supposed to be with Jack. How come Jack was with Spencer to meet his friends?”

“Because…because he turned Jack against me.” Beth was still sniffling. “And…and he came and took him, really he did.”

“Garcia can get the record of your phone calls if I need her to, you know?” Spencer said. “And if you try accusing me of kidnapping Jack, I will have those accessed.”

“What would that show?” Beth snorted.

“It would show who you called and what time and how long.” Spencer said.

“I hate you!” Beth screamed at Spencer, lunging towards him.

Morgan finally snapped out of the dumbfounded stupor he’d been in since realizing Beth had been lying to him and he’d sent nasty email to his boss over lies. Jack took Henry’s hand and led him to the kitchen to play with the cars there, Jack and Henry were still within sight and Spencer waved.

“Hey, none of that.” Morgan said, grabbing her and making her sit down again.

“You, this is all your fault. You turned them all against me. You just want him for yourself. You are a faggot, aren’t you?”

Jack turned to look at Spencer and Spencer held up a finger to signal to wait and hold what ever thought for a few moments. Jack nodded.

The rest of the people there were just staring at her. 

Beth turned back to her crying and sniffling, settling back into her chair.

“Besides, all that proves is that somehow they’ve erased all the photos of me or edited me out. You all say your freak tech girl could do it so somehow they got everything to her and she fixed it. And I could easily be in all those horrid pictures the child took, what were you think giving such a small child a camera in the first place?” Beth’s glare and speaking had turned to Garcia.

“Except I watched as Reid downloaded the photos directly from the camera cards.” Rossi said. “And none of Jack’s photos are so bad that you can’t tell what he was looking at.”

“She’s in on it, I tell you!” Beth snarled.

“I would be if I needed to be, but honey, the hole you’re in is entirely self-made and it’s nowhere near finished. Are you going to keep digging it?” Garcia said.

“I don’t have to answer to any of you. Aaron, make them be nice to me.”

“Beth, none of them are actually being mean.” Hotch said.

Beth stood. “How could you choose them over me? I demand to be taken home. Mr. Morgan, take me home now!”

Derek raised his eye brows but looked at the faces of the team, all who looked like they hoped he would comply.

“OK, but no one is allowed to look at more photos or talk more about this vacation until I get back.”

Spencer nodded. Rossi got up and escorted them out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see any really odd letters and numbers about please inform me....the cats have danced on this chapter eight or nine times so editing has been a nightmare. I hope I got all their additions out, but I cannot promise that I have.


	24. chapter 24

Rossi came back in shaking his head.

“I see why you insisted I touch the suitcases each time.”

“Why?” Alex asked.

“She accused Spencer of stealing things out of her suitcases, because they’d been moved.”

Spencer moved his hands outward in a ‘see’ motion.

Garcia sighed. “What are we going to do if we can’t talk vacation?”

Rossi chuckled. “If you’d caught glimpse of what I did you’d really be asking that.”

“Hey,” Spencer said. “No taunting.”

“Why don’t we go search more for treasures or something?” JJ said. “Where are Jack and Henry?”

Spencer pointed to the kitchen, where Jack and Henry could be seen lying on the floor running cars along paths. “Jack took Henry out when a certain someone started yelling.”

The girls all did their “awww” sounds again.

“He really is a good kid.” Spencer said. “It was never any problem spending time with him this week, even when it was unexpected time.”

Jessica and Hotch beamed with pride. They gathered the kids and went outdoors, back to Rossi’s treasure hunt. Everyone settled in for some serious digging and Spencer explained to the boys about how they would do it if they were at an archeological dig. He and the boys set up a grid and worked each section. He told them about geology and layers and dinosaur bones and remnants of civilizations. He asked Rossi for a paint brush and some gardening trowels. They used the tools and Spencer showed the boys how to dig and then use the brushes to remove the bit around so the treasures could be safely removed. The boys were enthralled and the adults watched with amusement.

Rossi moved so he was near Hotch. “This happen often?” 

“Apparently, Jack said that that kind of stuff was why Spencer was the best person to go to Disneyland with.”

After a while, when Rossi thought pretty much all the treasures had been found, and everyone had a pile of polished rocks, tins filled with candies, little army men and animals of various forms, they moved to kicking around a soccer ball. Jack shared that Spencer had played when he was little, and Spencer shared that he might have tried to play, but he wasn’t very good at all. JJ teased him about the way he kicked. 

Morgan returned as the soccer game had turned into a chase and tackle daddies and uncles game, with all the girls cheering.

“Now it is time to move this back to the entertainment room!” Rossi said.

“Oh, please. And something strong Rossi, very strong.” Morgan said.

“I vote popcorn!” Garcia said.

“I’ve got cookies.” Spencer added.

“Yes, let’s go find the cookies!” Jack cheered. “Henry, come with us to find the cookies!”

Jess and Will came with Spencer and the two boys to go fetch cookies. 

“Henry come pet Spencer’s blanket!” Jack called as Spencer pulled the two baggies from his regular suitcase. Spencer left it open and he pulled out the other two suitcases, fetching two or three baggies of cookies from each.

“It’s wondewfuw,” Henry said, running his hands on the fleece blanket.

Will laughed and reached down to pet the blanket as well. “Oh my. One of these needs to come live at my house.”

“My friend Reuben, his wife made that and the cookies. That is my birthday gift. His wife made him one which he has stored in his office. Let’s tuck it away so we can go look at photos and eat cookies! Maybe Rossi has milk.” 

The boys cheered and Spencer tucked the blanket away and zipped the suitcase, settling everything back in the SUV. He locked them, even though he no longer felt it a huge necessity.

“So, the other quilt?” Jess asked.

“I made that one, too.” Spencer said.

“Can you still?” Jess asked.

Spencer shrugged. “I imagine so. I would think that would be one of those skills you learn and then know.”

“I know a lady who has a quilting circle, they work on their own stuff of course, but they donate smaller quilts to the hospitals and nursing homes. Even if you only managed one a year, they are so beautiful and could bring so much joy to others.”

Spencer smiled. “I was thinking about picking it up again. It was a very good relaxation technique. I just didn’t know what I’d do with what I made. I could bring what I could manage to you and you could take it to your friend?”

“Yes. They like tied quilts, too.”

“I’ve never seen those done.”

“The next time they do some tie quilts I’ll invite you to come and watch for a few minutes.”

“I’d like that.”

“Will you two hurry it up?” Rossi shouted from the door. “Jack says you have most of the cookies!”

Jess and Spencer laughed and picked up their pace.

Spencer turned over the rest of the baggies and Rossi put them all out on plates. “Someone loves you.” He said.

“Rueben’s wife.” Spencer asked. “I think she still sees me as an extra child.”

Jack giggled. “Mr. Rueben’s wife grounded Spencer. She grounded him from studying and reading and his books.”

“She did. It was terrible.” Spencer said.

“Poor baby, Take this plate and go to the entertainment room.” Rossi said. “Although I might tell Garcia that. I am sure she’d want the whole story.”

Everyone was seated and waiting. Spencer put his plate of cookies on the coffee table and himself in front of the computer.

“How do we want to do this?” Spencer asked.

“Day by Day?” Alex suggested.

“Most potential blackmail!” Rossi offered.

“Hey!” Spencer said.

“All of them day by day?” Garcia said. “I want to see them all.”

“No, we’d be here all night. I’ll make you a cd or two.” Spencer said.

“You took that many photos?” Morgan said.

“I’ll have you know, I was also completing assignments! And a web hunt, and a few challenge lists, and…”

“You’re taking more classes?” JJ asked.

“I’m still working on that darned degree, but I wanted some fun options that didn’t necessarily require my attendance all the time. Something to distract me from wanting to shoot the philosophy department head who is unreasonable and horrible. There are a whole series of photography classes, and I talked to the teacher who actually understands, unlike that philosophy witch. It’s just, well my usual options of photographic material involve dead bodies and we both agreed it wasn’t optimum. Not that I haven’t taken some photos on cases and used them, just well, I try to avoid what I usual see.”

Jack fell to the ground laughing.

“And she…she said….that we were all…demented and….bad…for taking…so many photos.”

“Yes, well. I saw no reason to explain myself to her. Anyway, what that does mean is there are several thousand photos, several…like probably over ten, of mine alone.”

“How fast could you put together highlights?” Will asked.

“Five minutes?”

“Let’s go day by day with highlights.” Alex said.

Spencer was already fixing folders, popping windows up.

“What type of things would be highlights?” Spencer asked.

“Your friends!” Morgan called.

“Aaron and Jack together.” Jess said.

“Whatever it is that is making Rossi so gleeful.” Garcia said.

“Jack’s favorite things.” Hotch said.

“Who you metted.” Henry yelled.

“What you think were the best points of each day,” JJ and Will said together.

“I’d like to see some from Jack’s as well,” Garcia said. “One’s that are very much from his point of view.”

“I want to see some for your class.” Alex said.

“We’s dotta see wides, too!” Henry said. “And Mickey and his doggie, cause Unca Dave’s doggie is on vacson.”

“I was wondering where he was.” Hotch said.

“He is hunting with my brother’s sons.”

“You lend out your dog?” Spencer giggled as he copied photos from file to file.

“Yes, now get that thing going!”

“Jack, come help,” Spencer said.

Spencer and Jack conferred on some and within five minutes they said they were done.

Monday’s photos popped up, starting with photos of Hotch helping Jack learn how to use his camera. Spencer included Jack and different characters at breakfast and the photo of Jack and his dad going back into line for the Buzz Lightyear ride. Jack had taken a photo of Spencer’s and his maps, while Spencer was filling his out and Spencer’s lanyard with just the first few pins and the stitch pins. The photo of Hotch with Jack on his shoulders watching World of Color was in the bunch There was a picture of the pumpkins above the entrance way and decorated lamp posts and details of the flowers making the fall Mickey in front of the train depot.. There were pictures of Jack and Spencer looking into the water by the submarines, and on the riverboat. There was a picture of Hotch looking confused at a line, Jack informed everyone it was right after Beth had told them Jack couldn’t ride that ride because it would have been too scary and a picture of Spencer with his exasperated face.

“Huh, I didn’t realize I was making that face that early into the week.” Spencer said.

“I need that one as a photo so I can give it to Daddy every time he deserves it.” Jack said.

Everyone laughed as Hotch blushed. “Is that the look he said you needed to give to me and not your phone?”

“It is.” Spencer said.

Rossi vetoed Tuesday’s file. “Sorry Genius, but we are looking at all of Jack’s photos from that day.”

Ruby and Jade were the first other people to show up.

“Oh, whose cuties are those?” Garcia squealed.

“Those are Ian’s little girls. Kimi shows up too, she is a friend.”

“Ian?”

The next photo came up, with Ian and Spencer standing next to each other and Ian’s arm around Spencer’s shoulder.

“That’s Ian.”

“Spencer, I didn’t know you had siblings.” JJ said.

“He isn’t.”

“There is no way you two aren’t related.” Rossi said.

“We never could find any.”

“Ian made Spencer pretend to be his little brother, Oliver, so he could date Claire. Spencer went with them because Claire had to take her sisters along.”

“He had a brother? Or a pretend brother all around?” Will asked.

“Oliver really was his little brother, and I looked very nearly exactly like him. Oliver was in Europe though. I met the required amount of non-study time during a week and Ian got to date Claire. It was a win-win situation.”

“How old were you when you met him?” Rossi asked.

“I was fourteen. He was twenty two.”

“Claire?”

“Twenty, her sisters were 15 and 16, and they thought I was 15.”

“What kinds of things did you do?” Garcia asked.

Spencer blushed. “Went to parks, the beach, malls, movies. Just normal stuff. It was good for me.”

“He even sounds like a little deeper voiced Spencer.” Jack said.

The pictures of the girls and Jack generated awes. Then the first picture of the Princesses showed up.

“Spencer!” Shouted JJ.

“Why isn’t Unca Pence makin’ an icky face?” Henry asked. “I would if I dot dat many tisses at once!”

“I knew you had it in you, baby boy,” cheered Garcia.

“So, is this like the whole prostitute thing?” Morgan asked.

“What prostitute thing?” asked Alex.

“Good Job,” Rossi said.

There were picture of the individual kisses and all the girls curtseying and the bows. 

“How come you saw so many at once?” Garcia asked. “That’s a three at a time line.”

“It’s a surprise.” Jack said.

“I will tell you later, though.” Spencer said.

Jack had pictures of fairies and rides and Ian and his girls. Then there was a set of photos showing bathroom stall doors painted as playing cards and patterns on the wall.

“Jack!” Hotch sputtered.

“Hey, I asked. No one said they minded.” Jack said.

The next had pictures of heart shaped tiles. “Those are the ones in the girls’ room!” Jack said proudly.

“The girls’ room?!” Hotch squealed. Half the room laughed at such a noise coming from Hotch.

“Yes, well…see. Ian had Jade in the family bathroom, but Ruby and Kimi talked him into letting them go to the girls’ room by themselves like big girls only just as we were getting out of the boys’ room Spencer heard Ruby scream and so he picked me up and ran right into the girls’ room shouting for her to tell him what was wrong.” Jack said.

Spencer was once again a bit red in the face.

“What was wrong?” asked Morgan.

“Ruby stepped on a wet patch by the sinks and slipped.” Jack said. “She didn’t hurt herself. All sorts of mommies laughed at Spencer when we came running in and he was shouting. Apparently he over reacted.”

“And on with the show.” Spencer said as the laughing died down.iothyg;/54

The next photos were from Tom Sawyers Island and one had Spencer carrying Jade. He had photos of Mickey and Minnie and the whole Pooh Bear group, and Aladdin and the outside of Tower of Terror.

“So Jack was with you all day Tuesday?” Morgan asked.

“He was. He said I got him back to their room about ten minutes before Hotch got back from his seminar.”

“What time was that?” Alex asked.

“Tenish.” Spencer said. “We played in the hotel’s play area while we waited for a spot in the restaurant to eat dinner. There was some sort of wedding dinner that was huge going on and so we had to wait for seats. We got in to eat at 8:45 but didn’t get our food until past nine.”

Jack giggled. “The bride had this hat on that was all white and poufy and drapey and it kept almost getting lit on fire by the candles she insisted they had! Her mommy kept shouting ‘thank the holy one it’s not your veil!’ Over and over. It was so funny.”

Wednesday’s photos included one that Jack had taken of Spencer and Patrick. It was of Patrick leaning against him and talking into his ear and Spencer smiling very big smile. JJ, Garcia and Alex all gasped. Rossi’s sucked in his breath and looked down to Spencer, who just smiled. Hotch didn’t have a reaction, but then he knew how things were. Jess and Will just smiled and Morgan didn’t seem to see anything. The next was of Hotch and Patrick laughing at lunch.

“So? Who is that one?” Garcia asked.

“That is Patrick. He works at a dig and Spencer goes and works at it during vacations sometimes and he sounds like a lion, all rumbly. He was really nice and is almost as good at explaining as Spencer.” Jack said.

“What made him and your dad laugh like that?” JJ asked.

Spencer turned red, but no one but Rossi was looking at him yet.

“I don’t know. Spencer covered my ears and then when I asked Spencer said to ask again after puberty.” Jack said.

“Exactly. Can’t share, little ears and all that.” Spencer said.

The next picture was of Jack and Hotch heading off for their Jack and Dad day, and then pictures of Hotch alone at various places and some lovely portraits of Jack that Hotch had taken. There was a picture of a pixie in Spencer’s arms, which gave the girls a pause, and the pixie kissing Spencer. Spencer’s face was shining with joy. There were pictures of the Mickey Wheel and Patrick in line at some ride laughing. There were also just random pictures of random people with huge smiles or excited eyes or laughing. There were pictures of the parade and of the show against It’s A Small World. 

“Spencer, what is your assignment?” Alex asked.

“Assignments. Expressions of Joy and Expressions of Wonder and Details and one called the full expression spectrum. Also there is an ABC list and three challenges I sought to complete while there.” Spencer answered.

As the others focused on the last few photos from Wednesday, Jack and Hotch watching the parade and the show and Spencer watching the show, Rossi poked Spencer’s back.

Rossi leaned down. “Spencer, how old is that pixie?”

Spencer chuckled. “She is old enough to work at Disneyland. Don’t worry Rossi. I love her, but not like that.”

Thursday had several photos of details and pieces, and more random pictures of smiling faces and excited people and of Jack in all sorts of candid shots. Jack with smiles and concentrating and looking stressed and looking mad, but mostly smiles. From Jack’s camera there were several photos of Spencer with different expressions. There were photos of meeting Characters and Hidden Mickeys and there were photos of Spencer loaded down with bags, and half a dozen of Fantasmic. There were a few of Jack opening gifts from Spencer and Spencer in his pirate ears. Rossi patted Spencer on the head when the photo of the street lamps taken while waiting for the show came up, the one where the lanterns seemed to be floating. 

“That’s a nice one kid.”

“I’d like a copy of the one with Peter Pan and Captain Hook on the boat,” Will said. “That was always one of my favorite movies.”

Spencer actually took a note of that. He smiled at Rossi’s quizzical look. 

“Oh, I always liked that one, too,” said Alex. “I liked Robin Hood more though.”

“Jungle Book, man, Jungle book was where it was at or maybe the Incredibles. Although, Mulan and Aladdin aren’t bad.”

“Oh, Morgan, you sweet hunk, have you watched Rupunzel? I bet that is right up your alley.” Garcia said. “Face it, you all….it is and always will be all about the Princesses, and Tink.” 

JJ laughed. “I actually liked the live action films better. Parent Trap, Annette, those.”

“You are all wrong.” Rossi said. “It is all about the Mouse.” Hotch agreed.

Spencer tucked his list away but noticed Rossi had noted it.

Friday had pictures from the afternoon of Jack and Hotch’s camera and a few photos from Spencer’s taken on the campus, including Spencer and the FBI guy, which sent Hotch into peals of laughter. From the campus shots there were pictures of Spencer and the whole bunch who did the second lecture, and Spencer and Reuben as well as details from the different buildings, random people with different expressions throughout campus (including pain as Spencer managed to capture a whole series of a bike crash) and the poster about Spencer’s evening lectures. Finally there was a photo of Jack in Hotch’s arms in the restaurant.

“What had Hotch that unsettled and had him holding Jack like that?” Alex asked.

Garcia looked at Hotch who nodded.

“At a bit before seven, Reid called. Beth wouldn’t let him talk to Jack. Spencer was almost in a panic about it, but he realized Beth hated him and thought maybe it was just because he was the one asking. He asked me to call. She wouldn’t let me talk to Jack, and I tried for almost fifteen minutes. I did get a lovely lecture on the stupidity of giving a small child a camera, though. To me, it didn’t even sound like she was in a hotel room. Anyway, Hotch was to call at 7:30, we all decide to see if Beth would let him talk to Jack. When she wouldn’t, I called to Reid. He was on stage, but his friend Rueben waved to him and then they left to go find Jack.”

“Where was Jack?” Rossi asked.

“Beth had left me in the hotel room.” Jack answered. “I couldn’t even change the TV channel. I thought I ought to call Daddy or Spencer, cause I had their numbers, but I couldn’t figure out the hotel phone. But Spencer came and got me. He knew. I didn’t even have to call him. Just like he promised.”

“Beth wasn’t there. We went down to the hotel restaurant for dessert, Jack met Reuben, and we waited for Hotch to get back. He couldn’t leave like I could.”

“How come you could?” Morgan asked.

“I was presenting a paper with the person who co-wrote it. Roxie was fine with finishing the second lecture. We’d already given the first paper, anyway.”

“And then Rueben went home and Daddy and Spencer came and looked at my crime scene.” Jack said.

“A crime scene?” Will asked.

“It looked like someone had been trying to get into our luggage.” Hotch said.

“Had they?”

“We could find no other reason for Jack’s and my luggage to be messed with all day. The night before had left me questioning so I set the luggage up so I would know when it had been disturbed. Each time we went in the room, things had been disturbed.”

“What happened the night before?”

“Not a discussion for now.” Hotch said.

“I don’t even know for sure, but I’ve got a pretty good idea. Garcia, wasn’t Friday night what you had been talking with JJ and Alex about before dinner?”

Garcia laughed at Spencer’s question. “No, I was simply telling them about picking you all up at the airport. I so would have not been able to hold JJ back had I been talking about Friday night. Nor would I have even tried.” 

Spencer chuckled and asked, “Does everyone want to see photos from Saturday?”

Henry did, although he seemed to be getting sleepy and had curled up into his mommy’s lap.

Saturday’s photos had more formal type portraits of Jack and Hotch, and some candid portraits of Hotch. There were photos of Jack and Spencer, and Hotch and Spencer. There were picture of meeting the characters and a picture of Jack trading pins. Jack had made Spencer include a rather funny one of him after getting off the Pooh Bear ride, and shared how the ride made Spencer dizzy. There had been a photo captured by Jack of Spencer and Calisto (which left several wondering), and Calisto and Calliope(which made the wondering even stronger). There were photos of the beach and Spencer’s small video clip of the Back Lot at night. Finally there were pictures of Fantasmic and of leaving the parks earlier in the day and later in the day.

“And then we went to the hotel and went to sleep and got up and went to the airport.” Jack said.

“And spent a miserable hour on a commercial flight, and then four more so not so bad hours on the flight.” Hotch said.

“And came here for Jack’s Birthday party.” Spencer added.


	25. chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things I have learned in the last several weeks:  
> 1.do not leave open documents up when you go to bed  
> 2.cats are naughty creatures who can do much more than you ever dream they can  
> 3.that there are stupidly easy ways to find a renamed missing document, but I was to stupid to think of them until after two weeks of looking and finally finding said document  
> and 4. cats tend to tap dance the same few letters on keyboards...so editing the found document should have been easier as well
> 
> Every tell Athena you all love her anyway...
> 
> This is the last of what is done...but there is more to the story being written. I just had to actually read up on how to not get stuck solving cases in fics...I think I have ti figured out and can now finish like six CM fics floating around...sigh

Chapter 25

The cookies were nearly gone, although at least there were a few of each type left. Henry was asleep in JJ’s lap, and Jack was yawning. Spencer was shutting down the laptop, promising more photos available for viewing if others so wanted. Rossi was starting to clean up. Spencer smiled as he watched Hotch look around and then go first to help JJ get Henry to Will so she could get up. Hotch helped her gather all Henry’s stuff and the dishes they’d brought for dinner. He helped them take all their stuff and Henry to their car. When he came back in, he started right into helping Rossi clean up.

This was the concept Beth was missing most, Spencer thought. They were family and Hotch wasn’t a separate entity entirely to his self. They were all connected. Hotch threw his arms around Jessica as she said something, and then helped her with folding tables and chairs in the back. He called back and forth to Garcia and Alex, laughing as they teased him. He slapped Morgan on the back as Morgan hefted six chairs at once and managed to make it to the shed with them. Spencer tucked his cookies into his satchel, with his laptop. Then he went and started to gather Jack’s gifts, and help Jack gather all his stuff from the entertainment room. Rossi was teasing Jack about ‘hanging with girls’ and Jack was telling Rossi about his day with Ian and the girls and Spencer.

“And Spencer, when Jade got tired, he just picked her up. He didn’t say anything about it being tiring or her being a burden or anything, just carried her. And the girls liked him, just as much as I do. I think they’ve met him before, though, not Kimi, but Jade and Ruby. Sometimes they called him Uncle Spencer like Henry does. Isn’t that nice? Did you see how Snow White kissed Spencer? She kissed him on the side of his mouth! But it looked like Rosie did kiss him on the mouth, just a small one, of course so did Patrick, and his was a small one too. He kissed Spencer’s forehead and nose and cheeks, too. They probably didn’t always do small kisses, because Spencer said they were boyfriends a long time ago. Then Calisto and Calliope simply covered Spencer in kisses, and Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter kissed him.”

“Who is Rosie?” Rossi asked.

“Oh, the pixie, the one Spencer saw on Daddy and Jack day. She is Patrick’s little sister.”

“And Calisto and Calliope?”

“They have the sandwich shop, they make the bestest sandwiches ever. Mine had shrimp and crab and was just yum! And Daddy’s was yummy, too, but his was beef and cheese all melted and had mushrooms and peppers and onions and other good stuff. Their shop is kinda by the school Spencer went to. And Calliope has loads of siblings and they all had funny names, but some changed them and her mommy and daddy got upset because one works for the CIA, and Patrick has a brother named Stuart who doesn’t live by them anymore, I think he must live more by us. And Calliope had a sister named Pineapple, who changed her name to Sara, which was a smart thing to do really, but she also became a…republican and that made her dad hyperventilate. And there is even more newer siblings but Calisto says they are wild animals.”

Rossi just stared at Jack.

“Which one is Calisto?”

“Calisto is the one who had her arms around Spencer. Calliope is the other girl; she is the one who makes Spencer his French fries. But we didn’t get to taste them.”

“Yes, those I heard about.”

“Hey you, have you dropped any other items anywhere else?” Spencer came in.

“You got my book?” Jack said.

“I did.”

“I got all my cars. We should be good.” Jack said.

“We’d better go get your daddy moving then, we have work tomorrow and you have school.”

“Spencer, you didn’t finish looking over the cases! You didn’t get the other maps!”

“How’d you know about that?”

Jack just smiled at him.

“You little turkey!” Spencer said, sweeping in and tickling Jack. Jack giggled.

“I don’t mind being a turkey. You know what else you forgot?”

“What?”

“To give Uncle Dave and Derek their lecture.”

“I did tell Rossi your new rule. We’ll go find Derek and give it to him now.”

“Not going to miss this.” Rossi said, following them.

As soon as Spencer crossed the threshold, he shouted. “Yo, Morgan! Get your hind end over here.”

Morgan looked at Spencer like he’d lost his mind, but came over anyway just to see what was up.

Jack pointed to one of the chairs on the deck. Spencer pointed to it as well. “Sit.”

“Now listen here, Pretty Boy, you can’t go bossing people around…”

“I said sit.” Spencer said in a very stern voice. Morgan sat.

“Rossi, if you would,” Spencer waved to the chair next to Morgan and Rossi sat right down.

“Now, we need to discuss the type of examples you set for the younger members of this team, this family.” Spencer said. Morgan went to say something and Jack went “Shhh!”

“We have had to put together a new safety rule for Jack. Can you remember it, Jack?”

Jack stood straight. “When an adult asks you to keep a secret from one of your trusted adults, never do so. Especially when it’s a secret about something that made you feel bad or uncomfortable, or where you were touched. Even if they threaten you. It is not good to lie about what happened to those who care about you, ever.”

Spencer beamed at him. “Word for word. Good Job!”

“I wrote it down, too, on the back of one of my lists.”

“Excellent.”

Spencer’s voice got stern and serious again. “Now, in the discussion about this the behavior of you two, in regards to Beth and Jack’s calling her about the end of the season soccer party, came up. Can you imagine why? Morgan?”

Morgan hung his head. “We told people to lie to others and cover up something that hurt Jack.”

“Exactly. Was that the right thing to do?”

“No.”

“Was it a good thing to do?”

“No.” 

“Was it a safe thing to do?”

Rossi answered this time. “No.”

“Was it a thing that would build trust in any involved?”

“No.” Both answered, as well as Jessica.

“If we want Jack to trust us, to come to us with problems, we have got to be his trusted adults. He has to know we have his back in everything. You two shook that, and made him even worry about the rest of us as well. Not to mention, I’m sure it hurt Jessica as much as it hurt me when we felt we couldn’t tell either.”

Jessica nodded.

“If my dad needs a girl other than the ones he has here, and Henry’s mommy, in his life, it needs to be one like you told me about. One who wants me as well. One who wants to be added to our lives, not take away everything that makes Daddy really happy. They have to like and be kind to everyone here, not call them names and be rude, because when you add someone to a family it is adding. The important things don’t change, just little ones to make life good for everyone involved.” Jack said. 

Spencer and Garcia smiled, as Jessica and Hotch both got misty eyed.

Rossi kneeled before Jack. “Come here, you.” He held his arms open for a hug. Jack ran into his arms.

“I promise. I might still encourage your daddy to date and go out, but I will not make excuses again. You are right; your daddy deserves someone who loves everyone here, because we are family. And you deserve someone who adores you.”

Jack smiled and hugged Rossi back really hard.

Alex knelt beside them. “I hope you will allow me to earn a spot as one of your trusted adults and let me be added to your family.”

Jack smiled. “I’d like that.”

Morgan finally recovered from Spencer’s lecture, and the fact Spencer could give one and use that kind of voice and make him feel about two inches tall, just by voice. “I’m sorry, Jack. I guess I just didn’t think about what that would mean to you, or what kind of example you are seeing.”

Spencer smiled. “Good enough, Jack?”

“Yep. It was a good lecture. You do a good ‘in trouble’ voice.” Jack said.

Hotch nodded off to the side.

“Now, if everyone has got things cleaned up, we all need to be getting home to bed. We all have work tomorrow, or school.” Hotch said.

“Who’s taking who home?” Spencer asked.

“You’re on my way home, Spencer,” Alex said. “At least you are if your place is the same as listed in your file for work.”

“It is.” Spencer said.

“Ok, let’s go move your suitcases, I hear you have several.”

“Yes, well…I also have everyone’s stuff.” Spencer said.

“We’ll spread it all around Thursday night, if we aren’t called out or are back home. My place this next time.” Hotch said.

“How about soups? Each person could bring a pot of soup or some homemade bread?” Garcia suggested. “I found two recipes I’ve been dying to try, but it’s not worth it when it’s only me eating.”

“I like that idea,” Spencer said. “I make a killer lentil soup.”

“And Aunt Jess makes some good soups; she could do one of hers.” Jack said.

“Jess, I’ll email what ones I’d like to do and you could see if you have others you could do.” Garcia said.

Jess moved Hotch’s and Jack’s stuff to her car, and Spencer and Alex got his stuff to her vehicle. 

“Spencer what type of maps did you want?” Garcia yelled before Spencer got in.

“Hiking ones, that show all the trails and what types they are.”

“They will be waiting for you, Baby Boy!” Garcia got in the SUV and pull out.

Morgan waved and left as well. Spencer was almost ready to get in his seat when a shout made him lift his head. He knelt in front of the door just in time to catch his armful of Jack. Jack hugged him tight.

“Hey,” Spencer said. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just…” Jack paused and placed both his hands on Spencer’s cheeks and looked right into his eyes. “Thank You. You are the bestest friend ever and only because of you was my family vacation a good vacation. I love you, Spencer. You are my Spencer.”

Spencer wrapped his arms around Jack and hugged him close. “And you are my Jack. Nothing will ever change that. Always, Jack.”

Jack ran back to his dad and Aunt Jess as soon as Spencer let go. Rossi was watching from his front step and Alex was watching from the driver’s seat. Hotch waved to Spencer and Spencer got in the vehicle.

Luckily Alex was willing to talk case ideas all the way to Spencer’s home. She helped him get the luggage to his apartment.

“It’s going to be quiet for you now, isn’t it?” Alex asked.

Spencer nodded.

“Spencer, remember to stake your claim, if you really want it.” Alex said, leaving before he could respond.

Spencer turned his TV on, just to have noise in the background that sounded like talking. He pulled his suitcases to his bedroom. He thought about unpacking, but then decided to do a bit more on his idea of the trails. He opened his satchel and pulled out his laptop. A paper fluttered to the ground. Spencer picked it up. It was Jack’s list.

**“My favorite people in order in which I like them bestest”**

**Daddy and Spencer**

**Aunt Jess and Auntie Penny and Uncle Dave**

**Henry, His Mommy and Daddy**

**Derek and Miss Emily and Miss Blake ---Can I call her Miss Alex**

**Because these are my family**


End file.
